Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz broke their post-election silence on Tuesday afternoon, addressing volunteers and donors in a 13-minute video that was upbeat but light on self-reflection. Unlike some of her advisors, Harris seems unready to publicly address why her campaign against Donald Trump failed despite a demonstrably better ground game. Harris-Walz volunteers knocked on 19 million doors, made 215 million phone calls, and raised more than $1.4 billion, Harris said during the message. But Trump—whose campaign raised far less money this cycle and suffered from reports of mismanagement and disorganization on the ground—won all seven battleground states, including five that President Joe Biden picked up in the last election. “The outcome of this election obviously is not what we wanted. It is not what we worked so hard for,” Harris told supporters. “But I am proud of the race we ran, and your role in this was critical.”
Harris and Walz published their message on the same day that four of their top advisors appeared on Pod Save America to dissect the campaign. Those staffers blamed a series of external factors for Harris’s loss, including the unpopularity of the Biden administration and her late summer entry into the race. At one point in her message, Harris seemed to acknowledge the steep challenges her late entry created: “What we did in 107 days was unprecedented,” she said. Her advisors also referenced that 107-day figure no less than eight times during their conversation.
Democrats will have to wrestle with some larger issues ahead of the next election, however: among them, the alternate media ecosystem that Republicans have built online and the continued defection of some young and Latino voters. Harris’s future in the party is also uncertain. Her advisors argued Tuesday that she performed pretty well this cycle, narrowing Trump’s lead in critical states and among key voter blocks after starting from behind. Most Democrats believe she should play a “major role” in the party moving forward, according to a Morning Consult poll released last week, and 43% said they’d support her in the next round of presidential primaries. But Harris has other options, too, including a potential run for California governor when Gavin Newsom’s term ends in 2026.
Politico reported that she is expected to discuss her options with advisors and family members over the holiday season. And on Tuesday, she urged her supporters to stay in what she called the “collective fight for America’s future.” “I still strongly believe the light of America’s promise will burn bright as long as we never give up and keep fighting,” Harris said.
