Kamala Harris/ progressives/ economic message/ 2024 election/ Democratic campaign strategy/ swing voters/ Newslooks/ NEW YORK/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Progressive Democrats are urging Vice President Kamala Harris to adjust her closing campaign message, criticizing her focus on winning over moderate Republicans rather than addressing the economic concerns of working-class voters. Leaders like Bernie Sanders and Adam Green advocate for more emphasis on economic policies, arguing that economic issues resonate more with Harris’ base. With Election Day nearing, Harris faces a challenging balance between appealing to progressives and courting undecided moderates.
Progressives Push for Economic Focus in Harris’ Campaign: Quick Looks
- Message shift requested: Progressive leaders urge Harris to prioritize working-class economic issues over Republican outreach.
- Base frustration: Some progressives feel sidelined as Harris teams up with moderate figures like Liz Cheney.
- Key economic policies: Harris’ economic proposals include lowering grocery and drug costs, taxing billionaires, and expanding Medicare.
- Election stakes: Both campaigns aim to rally core supporters as Harris’ race with Trump remains tight.
Harris Faces Progressive Push to Emphasize Economic Issues Over GOP Outreach
Deep Look
As Vice President Kamala Harris enters the final weeks of her campaign, she faces mounting pressure from progressive Democrats to refocus her message. Progressive leaders have voiced concerns that Harris’ closing message leans too heavily on reaching moderate Republicans and lacks the emphasis on economic struggles that could resonate with working-class voters. These concerns come as the Harris campaign seeks to balance appealing to its base with attracting undecided voters, especially those wary of Donald Trump.
A vocal contingent of Harris’ progressive base believes that her outreach strategy has sidelined key economic issues, such as affordable healthcare, fair wages, and tax reform, that resonate deeply with the Democratic base. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a prominent progressive, noted that Harris has been leaning too much into partnerships with Republican figures like former House GOP leader Liz Cheney and entrepreneur Mark Cuban while keeping progressive leaders like Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in lower-profile roles.
“There are a lot more working-class people who could vote for Kamala Harris than there are conservative Republicans,” Sanders told the Associated Press, noting that he has participated in more than two dozen campaign events for Harris this month alone, often in rural areas where economic hardship is a daily reality. However, he emphasized, “She has to start talking more to the needs of working-class people.”
Harris’ campaign, however, argues that its focus on undecided moderates is strategic. According to campaign aides, approximately 10% of swing-state voters remain undecided, with 7% considered “Cheney Republicans” who could be swayed by a focus on Trump’s threats to democracy. Campaign officials feel Harris’ greatest challenge is shedding the perception that she leans too far left, especially in states where she narrowly edged out Trump in 2020.
This strategy is illustrated by Harris’ recent appearances with Cheney, who broke with her party over Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol attack. Harris is scheduled to deliver a closing address next week at the Ellipse, where Trump spoke to supporters before the riot. Her speech will underscore her campaign’s central message of protecting democracy, which Harris’ team believes could resonate with moderate Republicans.
But frustrated progressives argue that focusing solely on Trump’s threat to democracy overlooks voters’ economic anxieties. Progressive leaders like Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, praised Harris’ economic ads addressing issues like grocery prices and taxes, but voiced concerns that the campaign’s in-person messaging has leaned heavily on alliances with moderates like Cheney rather than highlighting her economic platform.
“Our base is deeply concerned about economic issues, yet we’re seeing events that focus almost entirely on ‘kumbaya’ optics with Liz Cheney,” Green noted. Other progressives echoed similar sentiments, pointing out that by not prioritizing economic topics and progressive leaders, Harris risks alienating some left-leaning voters who might otherwise be energized by her candidacy.
Some progressive activists have expressed alarm that up to 10% of their voter base may choose not to vote for Harris, either by abstaining or even supporting Trump. Joseph Geevarghese, director of the progressive group Our Revolution, called it a “red flag” for Harris to prioritize economic issues, as polling indicates the economy remains the most pressing issue for voters. “There has to be an economic argument,” Geevarghese stated. “That’s the No. 1 thing that matters to voters.”
While the economy is a top concern for many, Harris has laid out several policies addressing economic issues, including cracking down on corporate price gouging, reducing prescription drug costs, and cutting taxes for the middle class. Her proposals also include a $25,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and expanding Medicare coverage for vision and hearing. However, these economic policies have not been as prominent in her campaign events, where she has focused more on democracy and the threat posed by Trump.
To amplify her campaign’s economic message, Harris has enlisted Ocasio-Cortez, who recently campaigned in Pennsylvania on her behalf. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, a key Harris ally, has also been vocal about the importance of supporting policies that favor labor rights and working-class families. Former President Barack Obama has joined Harris on the campaign trail, lending his support to her economic messaging as well as her focus on democracy.
Trump, meanwhile, is emphasizing his stance on the economy, inflation, immigration, and foreign policy in an effort to contrast his policies with Harris’. His campaign has argued that Harris has broken the economy, a message he reiterates in nearly every rally by asking audiences if they feel better off now than they did four years ago. Trump’s campaign senior adviser, Jason Miller, argued that Harris’ focus on democracy doesn’t address the economic concerns of average Americans.
Harris, aware of the divide within her party, acknowledged during a recent CNN town hall that some progressives are frustrated with her approach to foreign policy and her support for Israel. However, she underscored her commitment to addressing issues that directly impact voters’ daily lives, saying, “I know people are concerned about democracy, but they also want to see the price of groceries come down.”
As Election Day approaches, Harris faces a delicate balancing act. Her closing message and campaign strategy will need to account for both moderate Republicans and progressive Democrats, two groups with distinct priorities but whose support could be essential to her victory. For progressives, however, the hope remains that her campaign will shift toward economic policies that address working-class needs, which they believe are crucial to energizing the Democratic base and ensuring a strong turnout.
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