Democrats Blame Biden’s Late Withdrawal for Kamala Harris’s Defeat to Trump
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In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, a growing debate among Democrats has turned into a search for answers about what went wrong. With Trump expanding his 2020 support across nearly every major voter group, many within the party are questioning whether President Joe Biden’s late decision to exit the race in July played a role in the loss.
Prominent Democratic leaders, lawmakers, and insiders point to Biden’s delayed withdrawal as a critical factor that left Harris unable to secure a stronger footing. As reported by HuffPost, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed this sentiment in an interview with The New York Times. “The anticipation was that, if the President were to step aside, there would be an open primary,” Pelosi explained, adding that such a scenario might have strengthened Harris’s position.
“If Biden had stepped down earlier, other candidates might have entered the race. But we don’t know that. That didn’t happen,” she continued. According to Pelosi, Biden’s immediate endorsement of Harris after announcing his departure left no room for a primary challenge, limiting the party’s options. “If it had been much earlier, it would have been different,” she concluded.
When questioned about whether she regretted not urging Biden to step aside sooner, Pelosi responded that, at the time, she saw no reason to raise concerns about Biden’s age or ability. Pelosi wasn’t alone in her view. David Axelrod, the strategist behind Barack Obama’s successful campaigns, also suggested that an earlier decision from Biden might have changed the outcome. “The story might have been different if he had made a timely decision to step aside and allowed the party to move on,” Axelrod remarked.
Some Democrats argue that frustration shouldn’t be directed at Biden alone but also at those who encouraged his bid for a second term. Many of Biden’s close aides and supporters, they argue, protected and urged him to run again, despite growing concerns about his age and political stamina. This support, critics say, contributed to the party’s lack of readiness when he finally withdrew.
Beyond Biden’s late withdrawal, Harris’s campaign faced its own set of challenges. Although Harris campaigned alongside Vice Presidential pick Tim Walz, both candidates struggled to build momentum. Harris underperformed not only in critical swing states but also in traditionally blue states, raising concerns among Democratic strategists. Early critiques of Harris were relatively mild, but as TIME Magazine reported, some party insiders began to view her campaign as overly cautious and mismanaged.
One senior Democratic operative recently shared that Harris had an opportunity to connect with a broad base of voters but instead took a low-profile approach, avoiding interviews for weeks and confusing supporters. Interestingly, Pelosi had been a vocal supporter of Biden’s reelection in 2022 but shifted her stance as concerns over his mental acuity grew. In response to critiques that the Democratic Party had become disconnected from working-class issues, Pelosi rejected the idea, emphasizing that the party remained committed to its core principles.
However, Sen. Bernie Sanders voiced a different perspective, asserting that Trump’s messaging at least acknowledged key economic concerns like inflation, which he argued Democrats had largely neglected. “We need to refocus on issues that resonate with working Americans,” Sanders warned, underscoring a need for renewed attention to economic policy.
As Democrats reflect on Harris’s loss, the party faces renewed discussions about leadership, strategy, and the issues that resonate most with American voters. The internal finger-pointing has cast a spotlight on potential missteps that may shape the party’s approach as they look ahead to rebuilding support.
