Harris 1.0 What Kamala Harris’ election would mean for Australia and the world

Introduction

Sam Roggeveen
Director of the International Security Program

Compared to the upheaval promised by a second Trump administration, Kamala Harris is the continuity candidate.

The dramatic elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of Democratic Party’s ticket for the US presidency has re-energised her party and recast the race, to be decided by American voters on 5 November. Republican nominee Donald Trump was the clear favourite while President Joe Biden remained in the contest. Now that he has made way for Harris, it is too close to call.

In August, Lowy Institute experts came together in a special digital feature to offer their forecasts of what a Trump presidency will mean for the world. Now, our experts contribute their insights into a Harris presidency.

As you will read, Harris and her team have said little about key issues of international security, trade, China policy, Asia policy, and more. Nevertheless, Australians appear to have made up their minds about Harris, with an overwhelming majority preferring her to Trump. Our contributors conclude that the best guide to a Harris presidency is the Biden term which precedes it. Harris will carry on many of the policies, have many of the same instincts, and contain some of the same senior staff, as the Biden Administration.

The Institute has no house position on Kamala Harris. The authors of these essays write in their own names. Their assessments vary depending on the region and issues they cover. Yet as you will read, our contributors agree on one thing: for the world outside the United States, Kamala Harris is the continuity candidate. A return of Trump to the White House portends far greater disruption to the global role of the United States than a Harris victory.