Kamala Harris marks her 60th birthday on Sunday, but the focus on age in the 2024 US presidential race has shifted to her opponent, Donald Trump, whose recent rambling speeches and peculiar behavior have drawn scrutiny.
As both candidates intensify their campaigns in key battleground states ahead of the November 5 election, Harris is unlikely to take a break for her birthday. She has ramped up her critiques of Trump’s mental fitness, particularly after he spent nearly 40 minutes swaying to music at a town hall event, prompting her to call him “increasingly unstable.”
Harris’s rise to the top of the Democratic ticket followed President Joe Biden’s withdrawal after a poor debate performance against Trump. This change, with a vice president two decades younger than Biden stepping in, has energized the party’s campaign as Harris gains ground in the polls.
Trump acknowledged Harris’s age when he remarked, “She is younger… I thought she was a little younger. But she is 60.” However, as the polls have stagnated, Harris has increasingly leveraged the age issue, releasing her own medical report on October 12 that deemed her “in excellent health,” aside from minor seasonal allergies and hives. She has pressed Trump to disclose his medical history, raising questions about what he might be concealing.
Polls indicate that age is becoming a pivotal issue. Pew Research Center data shows a decline in the percentage of people who view Trump as “mentally sharp,” dropping from 58% in July to 52% in September. While 49% of voters believe Trump’s age could harm his campaign, 46% think Harris’s age would benefit hers.
However, the dynamic is complicated, as older voters—who may be more sympathetic to Trump—are pivotal. Recent polling revealed that voters aged 45-64 prefer Trump over Harris 53% to 46%, and the gap widens among those aged 65 and older, where support for Trump rises to 57% compared to 42% for Harris.
Harris also faces age-related biases, particularly regarding societal attitudes towards older women. Nancy Hirschmann, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, noted, “The sexism of America really is for sure on older women,” emphasizing the additional challenges Harris encounters.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has come under fire for past remarks that belittled women, further highlighting the intersection of age and gender biases in the campaign. Harris, who has two stepchildren from her marriage to “Second Gentleman” Doug Emhoff, continues to navigate these complex dynamics as the election approaches.
