exploring the similarities between prominent North American politicians – Palatinate

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By Connie Doxat

The United States and Mexico have great deal in common. Both nations were forged out of independence struggles against imperial European rulers. They also share a language: though Spanish is not the de facto language of the United States, the country has 57 million speakers, more than the total population of Spain. Then, there’s also their significant volume of trade, solidified by the 1994 NAFTA and 2020 USMCA free trade deals. And perhaps most notoriously, they share that vast and deeply politicised 1,950-mile-long border.

Come October 1st, when Mexico’s president elect Ms. Claudia Sheinbaum takes office, a number of characteristics shared between Mexico’s president and America’s vice-president will be added to this list. If Kamala Harris wins November’s presidential election, these similarities would be elevated to the highest level of government. The impacts of this on Mexican-American relations would extend beyond mere coincidence.

Their shared political outlook could have a tangible impact of the U.S.-Mexico relationship

It seems logical to start a comparison between these two women at their beginnings, and their backgrounds share much resemblance. Both were born just two years apart in the early 1960s, daughters of migrant families. Claudia Sheinbaum’s father arrived in Mexico City from Lithuania in the 1940s, while her mother’s parents undertook a similar journey across the Atlantic but from Bulgaria a couple of decades earlier. Similarly, both sides of Kamala Harris’ family also hailed from outside of the United States; her father from Jamaica and her mother from India, arriving only a few years before Kamala’s birth. Both women grew up in academic households steeped in science. Remarkably, Ms. Harris’ and Ms. Sheinbaum’s mothers were both biomedical researchers, while Sheinbaums father was a moleculur physicist. Kamala’s father, Donald, was an accomplished economics professor, contributing to the scholarly environment his daughter, like Shienbaum, grew up in.

Beyond their families, Kamala Harris’ and Claudia Sheinbaum’s careers, before their transitions into politics, also offer a compelling point of comparison. Kamala Harris’ and Claudia Sheinbaum’s intellectually demanding careers, before their transitions into politics, also offer a compelling point of comparison. Sheinbaum pursued a career in energy engineering, earning a Ph.D. and serving as a researcher for nearly two decades at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. She authored over 100 papers and contributed to the Nobel-winning 2007 IPCC report on climate change. Kamala Harris, meanwhile, climbed the legal ladder, starting as a Deputy District Attorney before becoming California Attorney General. This stint also saw her name attached as a contributor to over a dozen academic papers and several books.

Also striking is how both women’s political rise occurred under the mentorship of seasoned male politicians. Ms. Sheinbaum’s career was launched by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), who appointed her Secretary of the Environment to Mexico City during his tenure as the capital’s mayor. AMLO’s endorsement during Sheinbaum’s 2018 mayoral campaign was also instrumental; shortly after Ms. Sheinbaum won, AMLO won a decisive presidential election, highlighting his influence over the nation at the time. In a similar vein, Ms. Harris’ political fortunes were catapulted when President Biden selected her as his running mate in 2020. This shift from Senator to VP elevated Kamala Harris to national profile. Mr. Biden’s last-minute withdrawal from the election race in June also propelled Harris towards the Oval Office. With insufficient time for official nominee selection, Harris was catapulted onto the Democratic ticket.

Both have a left-leaning and progressive yet stern approach to policy, with key overlaps in priorities regarding crime reduction, climate change and human rights

One can also imagine the two easily enjoying a weekend together; both women apparently like walking, reading and cooking. More importantly, their shared political outlook could have a tangible impact of the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Both have a left-leaning and progressive yet stern approach to policy, with key overlaps in priorities regarding crime reduction, climate change and human rights.

As a prosecutor, Ms. Harris built a hard-nosed reputation and, as something she has emphasised throughout her campaign, this approach would likely continue in presidency. While District Attorney, Ms. Harris increased San Fransisco’s felony conviction rate from 52% to 67% and extended the length of sentences. Ms. Sheinbaum also enacted a stringent approach to crime while Mayor of Mexico City. Her tenure saw a 40% drop in homicides, with a vastly expanded police force and surveillance system rolled-out.

They could also align on environmental policy. With her background in energy engineering, Ms. Sheinbaum is passionate about sustainable development and proclaims it a right for all Mexicans. Mexico’s renewable potential is vast and, if harnessed correctly, its solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric capacity could power the country one hundred times over. Kamala Harris has also shown enviornmental interest as VP, principally promoting the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, one of the largest climate legislation packages in U.S. history. Harris has vocally supported renewables, EV infrastructure and conservation policies under Joe Biden.

Although these parallels offer the possibility of a strengthened U.S.-Mexico relationship, its vital to remember much remains speculative. Still waiting to take office in October, Claudia Sheinbaum has not yet revealed the full extent of her governance or policies. Moreover, Kamala Harris is still engaged in a very tigh presidential race Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016 highlights the importance to remain critical of her positive polling. Only time will tell whether the U.S. and Mexico will simply remain neighbours and trade partner, or if they’ll share kindred spirits in governance too.

Image: Claudia Shein via Flickr

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