Many reasons why Kamala Harris lost the US presidential race to Donald Trump, but three factors stand out loud and clear

US election results 2024: Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign was historic, as she was the first female vice president to run for the highest office. But despite initial excitement and a strong early performance, Harris’ bid fell short of a decisive loss to Donald Trump. Her defeat has sparked introspection within the Democratic Party as officials and supporters try to understand what went wrong.

While there will be post-mortems and reams of text written about the loss of the first female vice president in the unprecedented US election, and because countless factors were at play, three clear reasons stand out in explaining why Kamala Harris couldn’t do this. don’t get better from Donald Trump.

1. An unpopular incumbent and economic anxiety

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

Economic problems exacerbated this challenge. During a period of inflation and financial turmoil, many Americans felt their living standards decline. According to AP VoteCast, about 3 in 10 voters felt their family’s financial situation was worsening, while 90% expressed concerns about the cost of essential goods such as groceries. Harris did try to connect with voters on economic issues, but her message was overshadowed by growing dissatisfaction with the state of the economy, which she was unable to convincingly address or differentiate from Biden’s approach.

Also read: US elections: Kamala Harris concedes to Trump, but vows to ‘fight’ as Republicans regain control of the Senate

2. The inability to forge a clear identity separate from Biden

Harris’ campaign often struggled to articulate its vision for America in a way that resonated with voters. She initially leaned into her role as Biden’s successor, offering a “new generation of leadership” while staying true to the administration’s track record. However, this created a dilemma: If she embraced Biden’s policies, she risked alienating voters frustrated with the status quo, but if she distanced herself, she would be criticized for disloyalty. This “trap,” as former communications director Jamal Simmons called it, left her message muddled. “You can’t really run away from the president who chooses you,” he had been quoted in media reports.

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

3. Harris made more about Trump

During her campaign, Harris sought to rally voters around her historic candidacy and focus on personal freedoms, aiming to build a coalition of women, young voters and people of color. However, her message of “joy” and unity began to change as election day approached. It was almost an echo of the 2016 loss to Hillary Clinton, who had wasted most of her campaign arguing why Trump was unfit.

In the final piece, Harris shifted to stronger 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 her campaign as she failed to convince voters why she would be a better choice.

Also read: Biden calls on Trump to congratulate him and promises a smooth transfer of power

“Voters already know everything about Trump – but they still wanted to know more about Harris’ plans for the first hour, first day, first month and first year of her administration… It was a colossal failure for her campaign to shine the spotlight more on Trump than on Harris’s own ideas,” the BBC quoted Republican pollster Frank Luntz.

Harris managed to overpower Trump in their only debate and raised an unprecedented amount of more than $1 billion in donations, but often stumbled when it came to crafting her policies on critical issues. Missteps, such as her changing position on fracking without explaining that the technology had improved its environmental impact, only fueled criticism. Wall Street Journal commentator Peggy Noonan even labeled her an “artless dodger.”

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