News
Prominent Seattleites React to Harris, Biden Shakeup With Enthusiasm
Events spark Democratic optimism
By Rob Smith July 23, 2024
For Suzi LeVine, the upcoming presidential election revolves around reproductive rights. For Emily Cantrell, it’s about the prospect of the first woman president. Brian Screnar says it’s “incredibly heartening and inspiring” to see Democrats coalesce around an unprecedented shakeup at the top of the ticket.
It’s been fewer than two days since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race while endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, and Democrats nationwide and across Seattle are reacting with unbridled enthusiasm.
Seattle magazine talked with three politically prominent Seattle residents, and political science professors at both the University of Washington and Washington State University, about this groundbreaking shakeout.
They are:
Brian Screnar, who served as deputy chief of staff and White House liaison at the U.S. Department of the Interior during the first three years of the Obama administration. He also served as both national finance director and state director for Washington U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell; finance director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee for President Obama’s 2009 inauguration; and deputy finance director for President Obama’s 2008 campaign.
Suzi LeVine, former U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and member of the Harris National Finance Committee. Levine also served as acting assistant secretary, employment and training administration, at the U.S. Department of Labor in 2021.
Emily Cantrell, a longtime Seattle business executive who is now interim CEO at Seattle nonprofit Provail. She also serves on the foundation board of the Alliance For Gun Responsibility.
Cornell Clayton, director of the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University.
Scott Lemieux, a teaching professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington.
Answers are edited for length and clarity.
What are your general thoughts around this shakeup?
Screnar: It’s balancing two emotions. One, I have great reverence and respect for President Biden. I was an Obama staffer on the campaign, so I remember when he was picked. I think he’s a true statesman. I feel for him. I’m sure it was a hard, anguishing moment. I think history will see him as an incredible statesman, and I think his legacy is set because of this. At the same time, I haven’t felt this excited in a long time for the potential of what will be historical: I believe she’s going to win. She’s just a fighter, a champion.
LeVine: It feels very gravitational. President Biden’s act was such an extraordinary act of courage and patriotism. Heather Cox Richardson in her newsletter yesterday (Letters From An American) said something really profound. She pointed out that his choice to step aside is such a stark contrast with Trump’s Jan. 6th insurrection to stay in position. It was incredibly moving.
Cantrell: I really didn’t know what was going to happen. It’s like we all knew this could or should happen, yet at the same time, none of us was prepared. But it’s time. Trump’s entire campaign was around beating Biden, and what will he do now? I’m more than ready for our first woman president.
Lemieux: It’s been a lot to absorb. I thought if Biden stepped down, it was pretty clear that Harris was going to be the nominee, especially the closer to the convention we got. It is kind of remarkable that, over the last 48 hours, Democrats have almost become like a European political party. You know, in Great Britain, if the Prime Minister isn’t doing well, they move on to plan B.
Clayton: It’s become cliché to say we live in unprecedented times. You really can’t make this up anymore. It’s almost better than a television script from The West Wing.
Are you surprised that Democrats have coalesced so quickly around Harris?
Cantrell: Raising $81 million in a 24-hour period? Republicans are usually the ones who are in lockstep, but this gives me hope. Just lots of hope.
LeVine: I’ve been energized by this because I’ve had so many people reaching out who are similarly moved by the gravity of this moment. She provides a fresh start, a fresh face, a fresh voice. The issues that are at stake right now have really, I think, alerted people to the need to bring folks together. We have such a big tent as Democrats.
Clayton: It’s huge. The Democrats recognize they need to be unified. It’s also a certainty that Harris will be nominated by a roll call vote. She’ll be nominated before the convention. It’s why you see Democrats consolidating around her so quickly. All the major contenders who might have challenged her will or have endorsed her. Obama will endorse her.
Lemieux: I can’t say I expected the process to be as smooth. It was probably going to reach this destination, but I did think it would be at least a little bit messier. Obviously, the debate made it pretty clear that there was something to consider.
Screnar: I think it’s amazing. The Democrats were able to flip the switch on this entire narrative almost overnight. We always want fairness, and we want hope, but also, we want to be inspired. We’re not always the party that falls in line, and we’re not always the party that goes with the plan, because we want to do our own things. Republicans have done that for a long time. It’s incredibly heartening and inspiring to see people coalescing around her in a very genuinely excited way.
Do you think Harris will motivate younger voters and voters of color to turn out?
LeVine: It’s super fascinating what reproductive rights represent in this space. It is the No. 1 issue that people are voting on right now. She has been the campaigner in chief around reproductive rights since Dobbs, and even frankly before Dobbs. Her ability to prosecute in this area is so awesome. And she’s been practicing. She’s been on a campus tour since last November or December. She’s been speaking with young people about this, and has the ability to draw out the younger vote. With regard to issues related to Palestine, I think she is going to come in with a very fresh voice, and people are going to be more inclined to vote for her.
Cantrell: Absolutely. I think she’ll appeal to people who might have sat on the sidelines thinking their vote wouldn’t matter. I mean, they weren’t going to vote for Trump, but many didn’t want to vote for Biden, either. Now, these younger voters have a reason to be excited to head to the ballot box, and that should be critical in swing states like Michigan, Georgia, or Arizona. This shakeup also changes the narrative away from Biden’s age. Trump is now the one who has to be defensive about his age, and I think that could mobilize younger voters, too.
Clayton: The first thing to understand is that the country is deeply polarized. Forty-five percent will vote for any Democrat or Republican on any ticket, so you’re really playing to about 10%. We’re not going to see huge swings in polls. Kamala Harris, though, will be very important in lessening the enthusiasm gap. She will close that gap enormously. She’ll be more effective getting base voters out, especially young voters and voters of color. That will be huge in swing states.
How important is her pick for vice president?
Clayton: A lot rides on that. I would expect someone like (Pennsylvania Gov.) Josh Shapiro to help in swing states with swing voters.
Screnar: It’s obviously very important. Sen. (Mark) Kelly from Arizona is an incredible fighter. What a story, and Arizona is critically important. (Kentucky Gov.) Andy Beshear is a hardworking governor in a red state. Josh Shapiro’s young, and would be the first Jewish candidate at the vice-presidential level, from a state that’s critically important. Those three gentlemen would be my options.
LeVine: I think what’s really important is for people to be realistic about how hard this is going to be. She’s going to wipe the floor with Trump. Whoever she chooses as her VP pick could wipe the floor with J.D. Vance. And this election will likely come down to probably about half of what would fill Husky Stadium, probably like 35,000 to 45,000 votes because we are so polarized. I would love to think that people can overcome that, that Kamala and whoever she chooses as her VP will bring people together.
Final observations?
Screnar: She’s a prosecutor. She’s walked into courtrooms her entire career being the only woman of color surrounded by white men, and having to carry that weight. And she will show up with such fierceness and fortitude that I do think that presents a frightening peril for President Trump on his potential to make really big mistakes. If I were (the Republicans) I would be very, very scared.
LeVine: When you look at the different battleground states, most of them have abortion on the ballot or presumptively on the ballot. And of course you have these Senate races that are really critical. I feel like there’s many other forces that aren’t being considered by the pundits about our advantages in those battleground states.
Clayton: The Republicans are saying there will be legal challenges. That’s really a smokescreen. They made a calculus that (Biden) would not drop out. They feel like they got cheated. They spent their entire convention attacking him. It shows you how taken aback and unprepared they were. Fact is, we have a convicted felon nominated by a major party, the law-and-order party, and on the other side, the Democratic party is now going to nominate a Black Asian woman. I would have predicted none of this.
Lemieux: Running a campaign is a difficult situation. It’s just not something you can put together in a day. If Biden had dropped out four months ago, that’s a different situation. But I think at this point, both from a Democratic perspective, from a legitimacy perspective, from a logistics perspective, I think this is the only way it could go. I think most people in the party recognize that. There’s not going to be an issue in Harris being legitimate for Democratic voters. The question is going to be: Can you win over swing voters?
Cantrell: No one can predict what’s ahead. The next three months are going to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen, which can be terrifying. But I’m cautiously optimistic.
