While Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as a running mate was entirely expected, she may be the exact addition that he needs to take the presidency.

Even though the Biden campaign has been adamant in its support of the elevation of minorities, it has long been criticized for the stereotypically of both Mr. Biden’s race and ideology. This apparent disconnect has been a source of disunity within the party, something which some Democrats feared could be fatal come November. A child of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, Senator Harris is a near-ideal running mate to fix both of these problems.

Primarily, she adds to the energy of the campaign by being the first person of Asian or African descent to be chosen as a running mate. Additionally, if elected, she would be the first woman to be vice president. Her addition to the Biden campaign gives it the novelty that may appeal to more radical voters. While senator Harris is a moderate, her identity seems to diverge from what has been generally considered to be establishment. While at the same time, Harris’s more mainstream stances allow  moderate democrats to get behind her without fear of revolutionary policymaking. Yet in the selection of a running mate, there are no perfect choices.

Early attack ads coming from the Trump campaign have targeted Harris’s lack of a clear policy agenda. Back when Harris was still a prospective nominee, her policy regarding healthcare shifted wildly and ended in an incoherent combination of previous ideas. Although she was originally willing to abolish private healthcare, Harris radically changed her policies as the popular consensus shifted. Critics have tried to brand her seeming indifference as proof that Kamala  lacks a clear ideological agenda, but rather a proponent of what is most popular. Although painted to be a “phony” by the Trump campaign, some see this quality as beneficial.

In a period practically characterized by how polarized legislators, administrations, and voters are, Harris’s flexibility may be an important asset in intra and inter-party negotiations. Her willingness to change her beliefs to appeal to the majority of the party may also lead to support of pragmatic policies over purely partisan ones. A perhaps a more damaging criticism, although one that can be less easily used by the Trump campaign, is her record as a prosecutor.

Dynamic policy beliefs are not inherently destructive for the campaign, however, a career that seems to go against fundamental democrat policy may be. In her almost 30 year legal and political career, Harris earned the reputation as someone tough on non-violent crime and opposed to the legalization of Marijuana. Additionally, while she was a DA, little was done to fix California’s overcrowded prison system. These actions seem to contradict some of the Biden Campaign’s platform, and more progressive Democrats have used her prosecutorial record to call her a “fake” Democrat. This said, her experience as a prosecutor may also have merit on the debate stage.

From early campaign ads and rhetoric, it can be inferred that much of Trump’s re-election bid will be based on the “restoration of law and order.” With the unprecedented civic unrest following the death of George Floyd, Trump hopes to capitalize on the instability that some Americans feel. Specifically, Trump aims to use prolonged unrest in Portland and Seattle, to create a narrative of incompetent decision making from the Left. Harris’s record as a tough-on-crime prosecutor might weaken this narrative. 

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Because Harris served as a prosecutor and district attorney, it will be difficult to argue that the Biden campaign will continue “soft” decision making once he is president with Harris as his vice . While her career may deter some Democratic voters , she serves as a direct counter to many of her opponent’s arguments. Additionally, because she is a moderate democrat, her name on the ticket may also provide an in to get centrist Republican votes.

While senator Harris’s exact effect on the campaign is still to be determined, she has already put cracks in the glass ceiling. All that is left, is to hope that her nomination is a sign of real progress not just a demographically motivated move.