Ode to joy Harris gives Democrats a reason to reunite

Tens of thousands of Democrats descended on Chicago this week for their party's convention, bubbling with a feeling few had anticipated: pure joy.

- Lauren Gambino

By the end - barring unforeseen circumstances - Kamala Harris will have become the first woman of colour in US history to accept a major party's presidential nomination, following the vice-president's sudden ascent to the top of the ticket in a development that has galvanised a party once resigned to a rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

In the month since Biden's decision to abandon his re-election bid, Harris has united most Democrats and restored the party's dominance among young voters and people of colour. Two new polls at the weekend found Harris leading Trump nationally, by four and five points respectively: 49 to 45 in a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey and 50-45 in New York Times and Siena College poll. An average of all recent polling shows her leading Trump by two points. She also leads among registered voters in two Sun Belt states, Arizona and North Carolina, and is closing the gap with Trump in two others, Nevada and Georgia.

Harris's crowds have been large and electric and fundraising has poured in at a record clip. Celebrities, artists and fashion designers are eager to help.

Online, young people continue to churn out flattering content.