Outgoing Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison analyzes the reasons behind the 2020 Democratic presidential loss, emphasizing the importance of party unity and acknowledging the need for a more balanced structure within the DNC. Harrison reflects on Kamala Harris's limited campaign time and Donald Trump's appeal to Black and Latino voters.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stand on stage with DNC chair Jaime Harrison at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. As the Democratic National Committee prepares to elect a new chair, its departing leader says Democrats should have stuck with In an interview with The Associated Press, Jaime Harrison reflected on why his party lost to Donald Trump and what might have happened had then-Vice President Kamala Harris had more time to campaign after Biden ended his reelection bid following a.
The next DNC chair, Harrison said, needs to insist that the party not be a “rubber stamp” to its presidential candidate.HARRISON: “I don’t know that there’s one answer. A lot of people like to come up with things, and they say it’s the economy. Well, it could have been a part of it. I think every state had their own little nuance. In Michigan, the “The gap in which she lost wasn’t huge, but when you add up little pockets where it’s, some people because of Gaza, some people because of the economy, some people because she was a woman. And I think in many of those states, those little nicks here and there added up to how she lost in some of those states.”HARRISON: “Had she had more runway, it would have been probably easier for her and for the campaign. We were building a race for Joe Biden.”, people said it was one of the best State of the Unions that we’ve ever seen. Then we move forward to the debate, and people were like, that was a horrible debate performance. And then my thought was: ‘Joe Biden secured the nomination. The primary was done, and so, I’m a loyal guy. We’re riding with Biden.’”, how many times for all these felonies? And you didn’t hear a peep from the Republicans, in terms of like, ‘We need to jettison Donald Trump, and we need to open up a new primary, and we need to do this and that.’ And so sometimes, I think, Democrats can learn something in terms of, let’s put a line of defense around our folks and defend them as well.”HARRISON: “That’s my normal default, is that you stick by your people, right, particularly people who have worked hard on behalf of the party.” “I went into this thinking, OK, you’ve got probably the most successful of my lifetime legislative president who has poured tons of money into making sure that not just Joe Biden and Kamala Harris get elected, but Democrats get elected — not just in the battleground states, but all states who support a lot of resources and his own time fundraising in order to strengthen the state parties.” “And then when he hits a roadblock, when he hits a bump in the road, do we stick with him, or do we jettison him? That’s the mentality that I had going into this. And my nature is, ‘I’m on the team with you, you’re my quarterback. You got sacked a few times. But you know what? I’m going to block the hell out of the next person that’s coming at you.’ And that is not always the mentality of everybody in my party. And so sometimes, people look on the sidelines, ready to call in the backup.”HARRISON: “I had a very small group to whom I basically said, just game out for me what happens ... if I have to do something, because people were asking for a big primary and this and that — and again, we have a short time frame, and so basically it was going back to the rules.” “I didn’t even talk to all of the people in my inner circle. There were two staffers ... just in case anything happened, I wanted to make sure that I knew what we could do. And so we had some structure for what something would look like.”HARRISON: “She was literally on it. I wanted to get a sense of whether or not we were going to have a lot of people who were going to throw their hats in the ring.” “And so I started making phone calls just asking, ‘I’m sure you’ve heard the news about the president,’ and to a person, they’re saying, ‘I just got off the phone with the vice president, and I’m pledging my support.’ I must have been chasing her calls, because literally, I’m calling, and everyone said, ‘Well, I’m supporting her.’”HARRISON: “The DNC shouldn’t just be a rubber stamp to whatever the campaign wants.” “You don’t always have a seat at the table, in terms of, you take all of the arrows and the responsibility. People want to give you all the blame, but you don’t have the power to make those decisions, and I really think there needs to be reapportionment of a better, a greater balance.” “I did not always have a seat at the table, was not always invited in the room. And I just think that is inherently problematic because of the perspectives that you bring.”Trump gained larger shares of Black and Latino voters than he did in 2020, when he lost those groups to Biden,HARRISON: “People think, well, it’s just about turnout in the Black community, right? It’s just about turnout with this group. No, it’s not. It’s more than just turnout. It’s about persuasion. You have to persuade people why you are the best person for them. You have to talk to them about the issues that are important to them. You have to show them that you really are fighting for them, and that means having those individual conversations, but having targeted conversations specifically geared towards the people that you’re talking to.” “You cannot take anybody for granted. You cannot just assume just because you’re a Black man, you’re gonna vote for a Democrat.”against South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham but broke fundraising records during his run, said he has no immediate political plans. He didn’t close the door on another campaign. He has long been mentioned as a possible future contender for the seat held for decades by his mentor, Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina. HARRISON: “I’m proud of what we started here at the DNC. I created a red-state fund, where we’re pouring more money into those red states to help them rebuild the infrastructure. But there’s a lot more that has to be done.” “I’ve been thinking to myself, wouldn’t it be appropriate for another southerner, another South Carolinian, a former DNC chair, to figure out how to re-establish the Democratic Party back in the South? And so I think I’m going to spend my time doing that.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE ELECTION ANALYSIS KAMALA HARRIS DONALD TRUMP PARTY UNITY
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Schumer Endorses Ben Wikler for DNC ChairSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Ben Wikler, the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, for the position of DNC Chair. Schumer praises Wikler's organizational skills, fundraising abilities, communication skills, and his record of success in Wisconsin.
Read more »
Black Caucus Leaders Back O'Malley for DNC ChairFour prominent members of the Congressional Black Caucus endorsed Martin O'Malley's campaign for DNC chair, highlighting the importance of kitchen-table issues and operational expertise in leading the Democratic party.
Read more »
Congressman Jackson Eyes DNC Chair, Cites Party FrustrationsJonathan Jackson, son of Reverend Jesse Jackson, is considering running for DNC Chair after Jaime Harrison’s announcement. He believes the party needs a 50-state strategy and cites frustration with its efforts during the last presidential election.
Read more »
DNC chair race tightens with two favorites consolidating supportPolitical News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government
Read more »
Upcoming DNC Election Will Set Democratic Party’s Course on Palestine and MoreFearless Independent Journalism
Read more »
Democratic Governors Rally Behind Ben Wikler for DNC ChairSeven sitting Democratic governors have endorsed Ben Wikler for DNC Chair, emphasizing his experience and ability to unite the party. This late-stage surge in support comes as Wikler faces competition from Ken Martin and Martin O'Malley. The governors' endorsements highlight the critical need for a DNC Chair who can effectively connect with voters and navigate the complexities of the contemporary political landscape.
Read more »