Vice President Kamala Harris faces the challenge of turning Democratic backing into trust among swing voters. 

Harris’s job performance as President Joe Biden’s second-in-command is viewed negatively by 52% of registered voters, according to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Thursday. About 36% approve of how the vice president is handling the role, compared to 41% who say the same for Biden. Taking a deeper dive into the numbers, several critical voting blocs needed for a Biden-Harris reelection report she isn’t qualified to be vice president. Those doubts stem from 56% of independents, 37% of black voters, and 48% of Hispanic voters. 

“I think the only reason she was selected is because she’s black, to be honest with you, and she’s a woman,” Sandra Luby, a 75-year-old self-described independent from Ohio, told USA Today.

“Is she articulate? Yeah. She’s relatively articulate and so I suppose that counts,” Luby added. “But we’re at that point where that’s the only thing that counts? That’s sad.” 

Biden and Harris both face growing concerns among independent voters, a bloc that could heavily influence the outcome of the election. Democrats have sounded the alarm over the threat of a third-party ticket, including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Democratic Party officials have warned No Labels, the political group focused on launching a unity ticket, that a third-party run would help former President Donald Trump win. 

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Harris’s job performance is still viewed as favorable among her base. Overall, 76% of Democratic voters approve of her role as Biden’s vice president, while the president has an 84% approval rate among Democrats. Harris’s strongest support comes from black voters, with 51% approving of her job performance, compared to 39% of Hispanic voters and 33% of white voters. Her overall popularity among black voters sits at 59% compared to 37% of Hispanic voters and 34% of white voters.  

“I follow her on Instagram and I see exactly what she’s doing every day,” Rick Davis, a 52-year-old independent black voter from Florida, told USA Today, in saying Harris is doing an “excellent” job. “I see her going out and getting things done.”