Jill Filipovic is a journalist based in Washington and the author of the book "The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness." Follow her on Twitter. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely her own. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) There's a long way to go before the Democratic Party picks its nominee for the presidency. But this week, it's Kamala Harris' race.

Jill Filipovic

The senator from California's performance at a CNN town hall Monday night solidified her standing as a leading contender. She was fluid and engaging, striking that always-tough balance (for women, at least) of being both authoritative and warm. She also took solidly left positions on a slew of important topics. Still, there were moments where Harris didn't quite clear the bar -- most notably her comments on her own history as a prosecutor, which is shaping up to be a weakness for an otherwise resolutely progressive candidate.

Politics, for better or worse (usually worse), is about style over substance, and Harris was an ace. She hit all the right notes: cool, collected and poised when answering weighty policy questions and somewhat silly queries about the #MeToo movement dividing men and women, impassioned when defending DACA beneficiaries.

After a young woman stood up and identified herself as an undocumented immigrant who was brought to the United States as a child, and who was sick of seeing her life used as a political football, Harris commended her "courage" and then continued, "I will say to you that I stand with you. There are so many who do, and we should not be trading on your life for the sake of the political games that this President is playing in trying to vilify young people like you, who are doing nothing except being productive and believing in and living the American dream."

Harris also brought her straight-shooter style. In response to a question about gun control, her answer was jarring (and necessary): "Here's what I think," she said. "I think that somebody should have required -- and this is going to sound very harsh -- I think somebody should have required all those members of Congress to go in a locked room -- no press, no one else -- and look at the autopsy photographs of those babies. And then you vote your conscience. This has become a political issue."

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