There Are Many Reasons Why Kamala Harris Lost the US Presidential Race to Donald Trump, But 3 Factors Stand Out Clearly

US Election Results 2024: Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign was of historical significance as she became the first female vice president to run for the highest office. But despite initial excitement and a strong early performance, Harris’ bid fell short, handing Donald Trump a decisive defeat. His defeat triggered an introspection within the Democratic Party as officials and supporters tried to understand what went wrong.

While there will be post-mortems and reams of text written about the first female vice president’s unprecedented US election loss, there are so many factors at play that three clear reasons stand out in explaining why Kamala Harris failed. It doesn’t get any better than Donald Trump.

1. An Unpopular Official and Economic Anxiety

One of the biggest challenges Harris faced was her close relationship with an unpopular president. Joe Biden’s approval ratings remained consistently low, hovering around 40%, and two-thirds of voters believed the country was on the wrong track. As the incumbent Vice President, Harris had a deep bond with the Biden administration and was unable to convincingly distance herself from policies that contributed to voter disenchantment.

Economic problems increased this difficulty. In a time of inflation and financial distress, many Americans felt their standard of living decline. Nearly 3 in 10 voters believe their family’s financial situation has worsened, while 90% expressed concerns about the cost of basic necessities like food, according to AP VoteCast. Harris tried to connect with voters on economic issues, but her message of growing dissatisfaction with the state of the economy was overshadowed and she was unable to convincingly address it or separate it from Biden’s approach.

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2. Not being able to create an identity separate from Biden

Harris’ campaign has often struggled to articulate its vision of America in a way that resonates with voters. He initially leaned into the role of Biden’s successor, offering “a new generation of leadership” while staying true to the administration’s record. But this created a dilemma: If she embraced Biden’s policies, she would risk alienating voters fed up with the status quo, but if she remained aloof, she would face criticism for disloyalty. This “trap,” as former communications director Jamal Simmons called it, caused his message to be muddled. “You can’t really escape the president who elected you,” he was quoted as saying in media reports.

Harris has often avoided directly addressing some of the administration’s perceived missteps or outlining her own policies on economic and immigration issues. For example, while Harris promised to focus on issues like housing affordability and rising costs, she did not say how she would achieve those goals. Voters looking for a clear vision for change needed to hear more from him.

3. Harris Talked More about Trump

Throughout her campaign, Harris sought to rally voters around her historic candidacy and focus on civil liberties, aiming to build a coalition of women, young voters and people of different ethnic backgrounds. However, as election day approached, the message of “joy” and unity began to change. It was almost an echo of the 2016 loss of Hillary Clinton, who wasted much of her campaign arguing about why Trump was unfit.

In the final phase, Harris turned to harsher rhetoric against Trump, labeling him a “fascist” and warning of the dangers of a second Trump term. While these attacks resonated with some Democrats, others believe the move ultimately hurt his campaign because he failed to convince voters why he would be a better choice.

Also Read: Biden Urges Trump to Congratulate Him, Promises Smooth Transition of Power

“Voters already know all about Trump, but they still wanted to know more about Harris’ plans for the first hour, first day, first month and first year of his administration… Her campaign’s breakthrough was a colossal failure,” Republican pollster Frank Luntz told the BBC The spotlight is on Trump rather than Harris’ own ideas, he told .

Harris was able to best Trump in a single debate and raise an unprecedented $1 billion in donations, but she often stumbled when it came to outlining her policies on critical issues. Missteps such as changing its stance on fracking without declaring that the technology improved its environmental impact have only fueled criticism. Even Wall Street Journal reviewer Peggy Noonan called him an “artless fugitive.”

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