In light of Donald Trump’s recent victory, one should examine where his opponent, VP Kamala Harris, went wrong. Maybe she was dealt a bad hand of cards, and pure luck was at play. However, it can be argued that the Harris-Walz campaign could have made some major adjustments to its campaign strategy, potentially shifting the outcome. Here’s why I think Kamala Harris lost.
The Wrong Issues
In general, it’s difficult to connect issues with election turnout, but polling can work to fill in the gaps. The top issue among voters was the economy. 81% of voters said the economy is very important in their vote for president. Voters viewed Trump as more equipped to handle the economy than his opponent, with 54% compared to Harris at 45%. According to an ABC poll, 59% of Americans viewed the state of the nation’s economy as getting worse.
Harris did poll better on other issues such as health care, climate change and abortion, but these issues trail behind. These issues have proven to be important and drive support, but if a candidate is polling far behind in the number one top issue for voters, something needs to be fixed. Voters were more motivated by economic anxiety more than anything.
The typical citizen needs their fundamental needs met before they consider more theoretical social issues. While Harris polls higher on healthcare and climate change, these issues lose their importance when Americans are struggling to afford food and gas. The campaign’s messaging needed to focus more heavily on the economy and fixing inflation to capture more votes.
Abortion
I think Harris did a good job of finding weaknesses in Trump’s campaign and focusing heavily on her pro-choice stance. However, pro-choice support doesn’t always translate into a vote for Harris. Voters have several options to voice their opinion on the ballot for abortion, and voters could do this through voting for Congress or ballot measures.
In seven of 10 states, abortion ballot measures passed. This includes the swing state of Nevada which Trump won at 50.6% compared to Harris at 47.5%. However, the “Right to Abortion” ballot measure passed by 64.2% compared to those who responded no at 35.8%. This is paradoxical in a way — how could a Republican win Nevada even though an overwhelming amount of the population supports the right to abortion?
The answer is simple: if one can vote for their right to an abortion, what’s the point in voting for Harris to protect one’s right to an abortion? The ballot measure is a way to ensure this right, not by voting for Harris to protect it. Ballot measures to abortion possibly took away this need to vote for Harris simply because one aligned with her pro-choice beliefs.
Joe Biden
President Biden’s approval ratings hit a high in September with 42.3% approval. However, approval has been falling, with it being at 38.7% around the election in early Nov. This percentage is just above his record low of 36.9%, which came in July just after his debate with Donald Trump. In his 13th quarter, which ran from January through April of 2024, Biden averaged a 38.7% approval rating, making him the lowest-performing president in his 13th quarter since Eisenhower.
All of this to say, Biden’s approval ratings make him an unpopular president that many Americans don’t support. For a campaign, it’s a bad idea to associate with Biden given his low approval ratings. The Harris campaign should’ve removed Biden from the equation, creating a campaign without him and doing everything in their power to make Harris an independent candidate. Although harsh, the presidency is at stake, and with a widely unpopular president in the mix, things can get messy.
It’s extremely difficult to dissociate with the president if you’re the sitting vice president, but it’s still possible to make an effort. A good step is recognizing the president’s failures and suggesting changes you would make if you were in that position.
“There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris said on “The View” when asked about what she would have done differently than Biden.
This is what voters didn’t want to hear, and it likely turned some important swing voters away. Harris should have anticipated these questions and come better prepared with something to say that’s professional and intelligent but also doesn’t completely bash Biden.
I try not to live in a world of hypotheticals. “What if Harris did this?” “What if Harris did that?” The truth is, we don’t know, and we never will. Still, it is important to reflect back the campaign and identify some potential mistakes.
