Toronto They won’t have a vote in the 2024 US Presidential election, but a large number of Canadians have a favourable view of Vice-President and Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris and are hopeful that she will emerge victorious this November.
According to a new survey from the Canadian non-profit public polling agency Angus Reid Institute (ARI), two-thirds of those surveyed, 64%, “hold favourable views of the current Vice-President” while half, 50%, “say they are ‘hopeful’ when they consider the prospect of her winning the election in November”.
The most commonly chosen words Canadians would use to describe Harris: “strong” (40%) and “inspiring” (35%).
Another term that is applied in the context of the American Presidential election is “relieved” as Canadians “consider Harris potentially stepping into the White House as President”, ARI stated.
That flows from the negative opinion Canadians have of former US President and Republican Party nominee Donald Trump. Over three-quarters, or 76%, hold an unfavourable view of Trump.
Of course, if Harris were to win, she’ll make history as the first woman to lead the United States, not to mention the first person of Indian-American heritage as well as the first African-American woman. Gender can be a factor, as per the Canadians polled, as they “overwhelmingly believe it is easier for men to get elected to high political office (73%) than say gender plays no role in elections (22%).”
{{/usCountry}}Of course, if Harris were to win, she’ll make history as the first woman to lead the United States, not to mention the first person of Indian-American heritage as well as the first African-American woman. Gender can be a factor, as per the Canadians polled, as they “overwhelmingly believe it is easier for men to get elected to high political office (73%) than say gender plays no role in elections (22%).”
{{/usCountry}}Though Canadians generally favour Democrats over Republicans, Harris enjoys more positivity than Hillary Clinton, the party nominee in 2016 did. An ARI poll in September that year, 55% of those surveyed either disliked her or disliked her very much. ARI noted, “Though measured on a different scale, Harris clearly generates more positive views.”
Harris’ Canadian connection may help with the better perception, as she came to Montreal aged 12, with her mother Shyamala Gopalan, who had been employed at the Lady Davis Institute of Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital, the agency Canadian Press reported in July. She attended the Westmount High School in the city in the province of Quebec between 1978 and 1981.