These are the reasons why Harris failed

Kamala Harris takes a swipe at Trump.Image: trapezoid

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Donald Trump won a landslide victory in the US election. Explanations for Kamala Harris’ poor performance are still a work in progress — here are the different approaches.

anne catherine hamilton

For the first time, America has the option of electing a woman or a convicted felon as president. They chose Republican Donald Trump over a lawyer who advocates for democracy and the rights of women and LGBTQ+ people. Trump currently has 295 voters and Harris has 226.

The United States elected a man who undermined the democratic process, threatened his political opponents, and surrounded himself with people who wanted to take America back to the 18th century through Project 2025.

What about Kamala Harris?

Although pundits and reporters warned as early as August that Democrats were taking a chance on her, the frenzy surrounding her has now dissipated.

Post-Biden exit: Democrats push Harris into deep end

In her defense, Harris was thrown into the deep end by her own party. When Joe Biden's age issue can no longer be swept under the rug and poll numbers drop, a quick solution is needed. Her name is Kamala Harris.

An unknown vice president was suddenly considered the savior of the Democratic Party.

She only has a few months to campaign. Things looked good at first: Donations were pouring into the coffers, and investigations were turning out in the 60-year-old's favour. She brought momentum, debating Trump in televised showdowns and shining with a confident performance.

Still, ultimately it wasn't enough. What went wrong?

Here are some of the issues that Harris and the Democrats failed to deliver on or simply miscalculated.

Kamala Harris Still Too Vague About Content

Even as vice president next to Joe Biden, people often ask themselves: Where is Harris, and what on earth is she doing? As she runs for president, the question arises: What does she actually stand for?

It was not until November 5 that she gave a clear answer to this question. Democrats don't express their views adequately And the inability to clearly communicate: “This is who I am and what I stand for” — especially when it comes to foreign policy and economic issues.

Kamala Harris can't distance herself from Biden

When reporters asked her what she wanted to do differently than Biden, Harris said she couldn't think of anything. Trump cleverly used the phrase against her and played it up on social media.

Her inability to distance herself from Biden and distance herself from him may not convince undecided voters.

The impact of the war between Gaza and Israel

Especially during the Gaza war, young and Muslim American citizens wanted Harris to take a clear stance. Polls show Democrats are losing support among these groups of voters.

Precious votes could cost Democrats a victory in the swing state of Michigan. Many Arab Americans and Muslims live there.

Kamala Harris and her lack of immigration policy

Even as deputy congressman, Harris was criticized for her immigration policies. Biden has tasked her with curbing immigration from Latin America. There's also a lack of clear boundaries here as to how she wants to approach the topic. Harris did little to address these issues during the campaign.

In doing so, she gave Trump and his supporters free rein, which they exploited to their own advantage. As president, the Republican Party has relied on isolation and renewed its commitment to tough action on illegal immigration. He also addressed the country's Hispanics, who actually traditionally vote democratically.

Increasing numbers of Latinos are no longer supporting Democrats and are suddenly waving Trump flags.

Our US correspondent Ralph spoke to Latinos in Miami:

Harris can't win over men

A woman as president? What was commonplace in Western Europe is still rejected in parts of the United States. Harris will have a hard time winning over black and Latino support — polls show a surprising number of people voted for Trump.

The reason: Sexism and misogyny are endemic in America. So called “masculinities” don't want to vote for women out of principle. They are also more likely to believe Trump can get the economy up and running again.

Harris scores poorly on economy, inflation

High prices in supermarkets and petrol stations: The economic situation is an important topic in the election campaign. Harris offered suggestions on how she wanted to ease people's pain. But she never really got through it.

Despite economic improvements following the pandemic, poverty will still affect 36.8 million people in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Approximately 343.5 million citizens currently live in the United States. Many people work several jobs to make ends meet, but ultimately it’s not enough.

The economy, which has been particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, is doing well under the Biden administration. But the Democrats missed the opportunity to show off. This is in stark contrast to Trump, who knows how to sell himself.

Trump always likes to portray himself as a successful “businessman” who is purportedly “saving” the U.S. economy. He also promised massive tax cuts, while Harris wants to increase taxes on big corporations and the super-rich. For many Americans who criticize such measures as “socialist,” this is a no-go.

Don’t forget: America has the highest number of millionaires in the worldAs shown in management consulting firm Capgemini’s World Wealth Report 2024.

Focus on women's rights and abortion not working

Harris relied too heavily on female voters to become the face of abortion rights in the United States. However, she has done little to address the country’s young men, particularly white men. In a taped conversation with Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Harris admitted:

“The thing is: We have to fight alongside the men.”

But she obviously didn't succeed. Trump took advantage of this and won over these people. In addition to gender, voter education also plays a role.

Harris, without a college degree, can't reach Americans

Nationally, Harris scores highly among women with college degrees, the Frankfurter Review newspaper reported. Yet the vast majority of men and women without college degrees support Trump. That includes two-thirds of white people without a college degree.

Crime, fentanyl crisis, poverty and few solutions

The videos are reminiscent of zombie movies: unresponsive people dragging themselves through the streets. The drug fentanyl has completely taken over America and is changing entire areas of the city. This is not lost on American citizens.

Democrats have been criticized for their liberal drug policies despite Trump's promise of tougher action. Harris has revealed little about how she plans to address the fentanyl crisis.

In some areas of the city, real “ghettos” are forming, and gun violence has become part of daily life. Democrats are increasingly disconnected from these voters, while Trump portrays himself as a “strong leader” who stands up for them — a stark contrast to what he calls “the out-of-touch establishment in Washington, D.C.” contrast.