As the dust settles after the 2024 election, a common question keeps coming up: Is Joe to blame for Kamala Harris’s loss? Many are pointing fingers at Biden’s presidency, claiming it played a big role in her struggles. Let’s take a closer look.
Kamala Harris didn’t exactly start off strong. Her 2019 presidential campaign fizzled out pretty quickly, and when it ended, many people saw her as a candidate who just wasn’t connecting. Unfortunately, that stuck with her throughout her time as vice president, especially as she took on high-profile assignments like addressing the “root causes” of migration. Many felt she was set up to fail from the beginning.
If things had gone differently, Harris might’ve had a real shot to reset her image and campaign for the presidency. But when Biden announced his decision to run for a second term, any hope of that evaporated. Harris was left to deal with a lot of the baggage from Biden’s first term, and there was no time to pivot or reshape her message. The window for a major comeback was closed, and with it, any real chance to redefine herself.
A recent poll by J.L. Partners showed just how difficult it was for Harris. Voters ranked inflation and the cost of living as their top concerns, followed closely by border security and immigration. These were areas where Biden’s policies were widely seen as failures. Meanwhile, issues like leadership and abortion rights, which Harris might’ve used to her advantage, were way down on the list of priorities.
Could Harris have changed the conversation? In theory, yes. Strong campaigns often succeed by focusing on the issues that matter most to voters. But Harris didn’t have much time to do that. Trying to make abortion rights the key issue while inflation and border security dominated the headlines was a near-impossible task.
Inflation hit everyone hard, and it wasn’t just an economic issue—it was a personal one. Women, who typically handle household budgets, and lower-income families—groups that Democrats rely on—felt the impact the most. It’s hard to talk about issues like abortion rights when people are struggling to pay for everyday necessities.
It’s possible Harris could’ve done more to distance herself from Biden’s mistakes, and some think she should have. For example, her awkward response on The View, when asked if she would’ve handled things differently from Biden, was a missed opportunity. That moment could’ve been her chance to define herself apart from the president, but she didn’t seize it.
However, distancing herself from Biden would’ve been a risky move. It could have alienated Biden’s supporters and made her seem disloyal to the base. More importantly, trying to explain away Biden’s failures would have meant shifting the focus away from the issues that could have worked in her favor. In politics, when you’re explaining, you’re often losing.
But here’s the big thing: Harris’s struggles weren’t entirely her fault. Biden made several missteps during his presidency—issues like the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, problems with border security, and inflation—things that hurt his approval ratings and made Trump’s comeback more likely. Even if Harris had tried to distance herself from Biden, the political climate was already set. Trump’s return to the race was inevitable, and no amount of rebranding from Harris could have changed that.
So, is Joe to blame for Kamala’s loss? In many ways, yes. Biden’s presidency created a tough environment for Harris, and his decision to run again gave her little chance to change the narrative. The political landscape was just too stacked against her, and while she could’ve made some different moves, it’s hard to imagine it would’ve been enough to overcome the bigger issues at play.
That said, Harris’s campaign wasn’t perfect either. She didn’t do enough to differentiate herself or fully embrace the moment. While Biden’s mistakes were a huge factor in her challenges, her inability to effectively navigate the race also played a role.
Looking back, it’s evident that Kamala Harris was always facing an uphill battle in the 2024 election, even though she was arguably more qualified than Donald Trump. While much of the blame for her loss can be attributed to Joe Biden, it’s important to recognize that there’s enough responsibility to go around.
