Adella Tobing – Kamala Harris’ lost connection cost her the election
Once a front-runner in the Democratic party, Harris’ bid for the White House has been marred by missteps and a failure to connect with key voter demographics. A campaign meant to unify and reflect progressive values instead suffered setbacks, prompting questions about what went wrong.
Perhaps most glaring was Harris’ handling of the Gaza conflict. The Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel during its military actions in Gaza alienated Arab American and Muslim voters, particularly in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest Arab American population. In 2020, the city voted overwhelmingly for Biden, but in 2024 Trump made significant inroads. While third-party candidate Jill Stein gained traction by calling for an immediate ceasefire and denouncing Israel’s actions, Harris seemed caught in a political limbo, failing to effectively engage with these voters on an issue that mattered deeply to them.
Further complicating her position was the decision to shift further to the right to appeal to centrist voters, which appears to have backfired. Harris adopted more conservative stances on immigration and crime, which did little to entice younger, more progressive voters. These policy changes led to accusations of inconsistency and insincerity, leaving Harris vulnerable to attacks from both sides and undermining her credibility. When asked what she would have done differently to Biden during an interview on The View, Harris remarked there was “not a thing that comes to mind”, reinforcing her inability to offer a distinct vision. Her perceived indifference to change disappointed those hoping for a fresh approach, leaving her without a strong base.
In an era dominated by social media, Harris’ other attempts to engage younger voters also faltered. Despite efforts to connect via platforms like TikTok and X, her campaign’s content often felt shallow and disconnected from the issues that mattered most to young people—climate change, racial justice, and economic inequality. Critics argued that her social media campaigns lacked authenticity, portraying her campaign as out of touch with young people’s values and concerns. In contrast, Trump capitalised on social media by appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience; his interview now boasts 55 million views (at the time of writing) on YouTube and it generated significant engagement among younger audiences. Meanwhile, Harris’ appearance on Call Her Daddy struggled to surpass a million views, highlighting her limited online reach.
Gender dynamics played a crucial role in Harris’ loss. While she broke barriers as the first female vice president, polls revealed a significant gender gap, with male voters more likely to support Trump. Her identity as a woman of colour may have also fuelled resistance from those rejecting her as a symbol of progressivism, further polarising the electorate and contributing to her struggles in swing states.
Ultimately, Harris’ campaign failed to meet expectations. Her shifting policies and failure to address the concerns of key constituencies left her vulnerable. The lessons from 2024 provide a cautionary tale for Democrats, emphasising the risks of political opportunism and the necessity of staying true to the values that inspire their base.
Ali Wood – How did gender affect the result?
Since the late 1970s and the campaign to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), gender has become more and more of a factor in US politics. Women have turned out to vote in higher numbers than men in every presidential election since 1980. This election cycle was no different, with pundits expecting women to have a profound effect given how tight the race was. It was expected that if turnout was high amongst women, then Harris was in with a shot.
Harris, however, barely mentioned gender during her campaign. She made no references to the fact she would be the first female president. No mention of the ‘glass ceiling’. No ‘I’m with Her’.
This assumption that female voters would deliver a Harris presidency, although wrong, wasn’t unfounded – women have leaned towards the Democratic party in most elections since the turn of the century. In addition, there was another glaring issue, unique to this election, which led pundits to predict women turning out for Harris: abortion.
Since the 2022 Supreme Court Case which overturned Roe v Wade, which guaranteed a woman’s right to choose, abortion has become a key part of both the Democrats’ and Republicans’ pitch to the American people. With the majority of Americans believing abortion should be legal in some or all cases, the 2022 case was expected to bolster Democrats’ chances in the election.
But abortion rights just weren’t as important for many voters. The number of people saying that abortion was their top issue fell to just 14%, compared to 27% in the 2022 midterm elections. The state of the economy was voters top issue – with the highest proportion since the 2008 election, during the global financial crisis. Yes, Americans cared about abortion rights, but what good were they if people couldn’t afford groceries?
This wasn’t, however, a case of people choosing the economy over abortion. Ten states held referenda on whether or not the right to an abortion should be enshrined in their state constitutions, seven of which passed. Arizona and Nevada (two key swing-states that Trump flipped) passed such referenda. Voters felt that they could vote for Trump’s economy and abortion rights, something ultimately fatal to Harris.
Being able to ‘have your cake and eat it’ seemed to sway some women who voted for Biden in 2020 towards Trump. The percentage of women who voted for Trump increased from 42% in 2020, to 44% in 2024, which, although small, in a close election such as this one dealt a deadly blow to Harris.
Seth Richardson and Benjamin Blackman – Only a politics of hope can win against Trump’s politics of fear
The re-election of Trump is a dark day for democracy, for peace, and for civil rights. Trump epitomises an evil brand of authoritarian populism. His election showed that ignoring the interests of the working class loses elections. But hope can persist, and the Democrats and the Labour Party must take bold action to counter the rise of populism and fascism. Progressive politics is the only way to destroy the right’s weaponisation of fear and provide us all with hope for a better future. We can no longer take Democracy for granted, the time has come for bold action to tangibly improve people’s lives, and to show that democracy can benefit the masses. This means the left must take the fight to the far-right.
To stop the malignant growth of the far-right, the left must cut off the supply of fear that it thrives upon. The only way to do this is by implementing progressive and compassionate policies. It must also address right-wing scapegoating by acknowledging the real causes of our problems. Trump will round up refugees and asylum seekers hoping for a bright future and deport them. In the face of this the left must restore the human face of immigration that the right has slowly gouged away. It must change the rhetoric, rejecting narratives which label illegal immigrants “poisonous” to embrace a positive image of the wealth and experience they can bring to our country. It must ensure that immigration policy does not continue to dehumanise refugees and immigrants.
The left must also make sure the truth is heard. The blame for inequality and economic hardship must be laid at the feet of the rich. Their overflowing glasses have failed to “trickle down” into the emptier ones below. Trump will undoubtedly push forward with tax cuts for the wealthy individuals who have thrown their money and support behind him. The left must show that progressive taxation and increased expenditure for crippled public services are what can create a more prosperous society for the many.
The left must stand in solidarity with women and other minority groups in the US, who will now fear the next four years of a Trump presidency. More women will now die, as a result of his destruction of their reproductive rights. Muslims will have their families banned from entering the country. With Trump in power, hate and fear will thrive. The left must fight for freedom of all; this means protecting the rights of vulnerable minorities against political adversity. The left should embrace the idea of the American Dream, and re-frame it as a fight for equality, freedom and opportunity for all.
It’s hard to stay hopeful in a world like this one. The smoke of fear clouds our political debates. For many, Trump’s election will make hope seem dimmer than ever. The left must cling on to hope though however hard it becomes, because through progressive policies and the fostering of compassion, the left can make sure fear loses, people’s lives improve, and democracy persists.
