Following Kamala Harris's loss to Republican Donald Trump in the presidential election, some Democrats are calling for significant changes within the party. However, others insist the outcome
could have been worse and are urging supporters to continue their financial backing.
In the November 5 election, Democrats lost ground among key demographics, including working-class voters, Latinos, and women. Meanwhile, Republicans secured control of the presidency and both houses of Congress.
Downplaying the Defeat
Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), attempted to downplay the scope of the party's defeat in a memo circulated on Tuesday.
“While we didn’t achieve our primary goal, Trump failed to win the support of more than 50% of voters. Democrats also resisted global trends that could have turned this narrow loss into a landslide,” Harrison stated. “Trump’s win is far from a mandate.”
Harrison, who plans to step down next year, emphasized that the Democratic Party’s extensive campaign spending helped prevent a broader Republican wave. He framed the loss as part of a global trend in 2024, where 80% of incumbent parties experienced losses in seats or vote share.
Challenges Facing the Campaign
Despite raising $1.5 billion for the 2024 campaign, the Harris campaign concluded the election cycle burdened with financial and political deficits. The late July transition of Harris as the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden’s withdrawal left the campaign with just 107 days to prepare. Compounding matters, economic anxiety and two major hurricanes in the campaign's final weeks diverted public attention.
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Harris’s campaign chair, and other senior advisers pointed to these external challenges. "This political environment was extraordinarily difficult,” said David Plouffe, a top adviser. "Voters seemed inclined to give Republicans—and even Donald Trump—another chance."
Internal Criticism and Calls for Change
Some party members have expressed frustration with the campaign’s strategy. Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville has called for a thorough review of both the Harris campaign and the party’s primary Super PAC, Future Forward. “Donors are exhausted and angry,” Carville remarked. “The damage done to the Democratic brand this decade is staggering.”
Senator Bernie Sanders and others have urged the party to refocus on working-class issues, a demographic where Democrats struggled to gain traction. Meanwhile, activists such as Aidan Kohn-Murphy of Gen Z for Change criticized the campaign’s leadership, saying, “If I want to prevent future failures, I’m not going to consult the people responsible for the current one.”
Silver Linings Amid Defeat
Despite the loss, Harrison’s memo highlighted some Democratic achievements, such as passing state abortion rights measures, gaining legislative seats, and bolstering unionization efforts. Democrats also won Senate seats in four states carried by Trump, and Senate candidates in battleground states outperformed Harris by an average of five percentage points.
Trump’s victory in the Electoral College, 312-226, came with less than 50% of the popular vote due to third-party candidates. His 1.5% margin over Harris ranks as one of the closest elections in U.S. history, according to Harrison.
As the party reflects on its setbacks, Democrats face mounting pressure to adapt their strategies and regain momentum ahead of future elections. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.
