The election season is about to get real. We are not far from former President Donald Trump being declared the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, and once this happens, the race will take off in earnest.

As Trump inches closer to cinching up the nomination, President Joe Biden is gearing up for the inevitable rematch. While most of the attention has been focused on Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris has also seen more of the spotlight over recent weeks.

Of particular interest has been Harris’ approval numbers, which have been in the toilet since she took office. Now, just nine months away from election day, her ratings aren’t faring any better.

The latest NBC News survey shows that 53 percent of respondents have a negative opinion of Harris. Only 28 percent viewed her favorably, a four percent decrease from what it was in June. Even worse, of those who do not have a positive view of Harris, 42 percent indicated they viewed her “very” negatively, while 11 percent said they viewed her “somewhat negatively.”

This certainly doesn’t look good for Harris or even Biden. But in the grand scheme of things, will Harris’ abysmal polling numbers have a major influence on the outcome of the race?

Let’s take a broader look at the situation. The role of vice president is largely ceremonial. It is not a position that carries as much power as it might seem. Given this dynamic, it might not matter that nobody likes Kamala Harris. They are voting for Biden, not for her.

In a normal race, this might be the conventional wisdom. But this is no normal race.

Joe Biden is currently 81 years old and has shown signs of mental deterioration on plenty of occasions. Additionally, it is apparent that his health has declined significantly. This is the proverbial elephant in the room that Democrats and their close friends and allies in the activist media have desperately tried to spin or distract from.

What happens if Biden’s health issues prevent him from carrying out his duties? Even further, what if he wins in November and decides to resign before his second term is over?

If this happens, the nation will have Black Hillary as its president, and that is not an outcome many would want – especially moderates and independents. In this race, it is highly likely that voters will consider this scenario when considering how they plan to vote. If Trump and the Republican Party play their cards right, they can use Harris' unlikeability to their advantage.

In fact, Republicans would be squandering a major opportunity if they failed to make Biden’s age and Harris’ incompetence a central part of their campaign. Whenever Biden gaffes, wanders off the stage, or falls up the stairs, Republicans would be wise to seize on the opportunity to remind the public that if they elect Biden, there is a very real chance they could end up with Harris as their president.

This alone won’t persuade voters to back Trump. But it could certainly push many in that direction. It isn’t just about undermining Harris but also about portraying the Democratic ticket as unstable and unappealing. Polling has shown that many Americans would rather have candidates other than Biden and Trump. But almost nobody wants the possibility of a Kamala Harris presidency.