What has Kamala Harris done as vice president?

During their first (and so far only) presidential debate, former President Donald Trump took aim at many aspects of Vice President Kamala Harris' history, including her reputation as second-in-command. "She's gonna do all these wonderful things," he said at one point. "Why hasn't she done it?" Biden and Harris had "three-and-a-half years" to "fix the border" and to "create jobs and all the things we talked about," he said. He asked again: "Why hasn't she done it?"

Trump isn't the only one to question how Harris has handled her current role. It is not uncommon for the vice president to struggle to prove themselves in a role largely defined by behind-the-scenes work. Harris' "critics and detractors alike acknowledge that the vice presidency is intended to be a supporting role," The New York Times said, and "many of her predecessors have labored to make themselves relevant, as well." As she pushes forward toward the election, her track record will continue to be heavily scrutinized by her opponents and undecided voters. And yet over the last four years, Harris has taken the lead on several critical issues while Biden focused his efforts elsewhere.

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