After President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris became a front-runner to replace him in the race to beat Donald Trump. Key democrats, such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, have rallied behind her and donated to her campaign, which, within 24 hours of her endorsement, amassed over $81 million from 888,000 donors. "This has been the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle," ActBlue announced in a post on X. "Small-dollar donors are fired up and ready to take on this election."

Trump currently continues to lead in polls, averaging an approval rating of 1.5% higher than Harris, with a marginal decrease in his 1.9% lead on Biden. However, as young Americans and Democrats grow disillusioned with Biden and his perceived humanitarian failures, Harris’s introduction has the potential to disrupt this lead. Kamala Harris's choice to embrace the Gen Z ‘brat’ trend popularized by pop star Charli XCX has been criticized by some as cringe-worthy, but it has helped her gain favour with Gen Z voters.

With many corners of the world facing instability and major upcoming political decisions taking place globally, the direction of the US election will uncover a lot as to the tumultuous road ahead. As polarization continues to shake social cohesion, the global stage will be watching the US closely. Meme politics and small donations from grassroots communities have the potential to shift the political landscape by democratizing influence, amplifying diverse voices, and fostering a more engaged and empowered electorate.