Where did Harris and the Democratic Party go Wrong?
Samira Ali
Staff Writer
The 2024 United States presidential election marked a pivotal moment in American politics. Vice President Kamala Harris failed to secure victory in a race that had become a decisive moment for the country’s future direction, where American democracy was on the line. Despite an initial surge of excitement that rallied around her campaign late this summer that drew diverse demographics within the Democratic base, Harris and the Democratic party fell short against President-elect Donald Trump who broadened his appeal to frustrated Americans. As the public grapples with the aftermath of what had appeared to be a tight and divisive race, questions arise as to where exactly the Harris campaign went wrong, and why the Democratic party failed to connect with voters and capture their support.
Today, Americans are more polarized than ever, with deep divisions shaped by ideological, political, ethnic, and economic fault lines. In such an environment, voters called for change, voicing their desire to break from the current political and economic landscape shaped by the Biden administration. As CNN reports, Harris failed to promise change and deliver on these demands. When asked repeatedly what she would do differently than President Biden, she continuously responded “not a thing,” refusing to critique or criticize the administration she was a part of. This stance might have made sense in a more typical political climate, but as Americans know, this was not an ordinary election. With millions of Americans feeling dissatisfied, defeated, and unheard by their current leader, Harris’ unwavering loyalty to the status quo became one of her largest liabilities. The election called for a candidate who could revitalize the voices of the people and act upon their aspirations for a new direction. She failed to appeal to concerned voters in the center who wanted to hear a robust economic policy or disillusioned Democrats who wanted to hear a more forceful stance against Biden’s support for Israel and the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Bernie Sanders highlighted that Harris failed to offer a distinct vision for America’s future that resonated with the average American.
This stance clouded her campaign’s distinct policies; she failed to provide clear explanations to the American public as to what her policies entailed or how she planned to create meaningful change in critical areas such as the economy, housing, or education, explains Al Jazeera. Her sometimes-vague responses in interviews and rallies failed to inspire confidence amongst undecided voters and wary Democrats as to why her stances had changed since 2020, especially on topics such as clean car mandates and hydraulic fracturing, Politico shares. Brookings reported that even on election day, surveyed Americans revealed they still could not decipher what exactly Harris envisioned for America, whereas Trump’s vision was crystal clear.
Despite the complex challenges her campaign faced, her real downfall was President Joe Biden. Her monumental turnaround in approval ratings just weeks after gaining the Democratic Party ticket and her fast consolidation of support was still not enough to win the impossible battle she was fighting. Politico explains that Harris was running uphill, as she had inherited a flat-lining campaign from her predecessor and current boss, whose approval rating had plummeted in his first year in office. His poor ratings throughout his presidency and re-election campaign, as well as his declining health, made it clear that he should not have run in this election. Instead, if the Democratic Party had been able to push Kamala Harris to the front of the ticket earlier, prior to the Midterm Elections, she would have had a running chance to create a stronger platform and cater to more Americans, shares CNN.
Al Jazeera explains that meanwhile, Trump was able to spread a message that had resonated with a broader range of Americans including disillusioned working-class individuals, deriving from numerous ethnic backgrounds. This amounted to not a repeat of the 2000s Bush-Gore recount, as some political experts predicted, but instead to a devastating loss for Democrats. The 2024 election results raise profound concern as to the future of American democracy and the protection of fundamental human rights. Trump’s win was not just a personal victory, but it foreshadows a new era of American governance. This election was one of the largest Republican sweeps since President Reagan was elected for a second term in 1984. Trump’s win brought a red wave throughout all three branches of government, signaling a new era of American politics. This raises a new question: can Democrats turn the page in 2028, and recover support? In the following days since the election, the Party has fallen into a frenzy, with internal divisions blaming one another for the loss. However, if the Party is to have any shot in 2028, it must unify and learn from this election, ABC reports. If Harris were to run again in 2028, she must set herself apart from Biden, where she can act upon the desires of Americans, and unify the Democratic party.
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