The Huffington Post, a traditional Democratic cheerleader, has published sharp criticism of former Vice President Kamala Harris as she hints at a 2028 presidential run, signaling potential trouble within Democratic ranks for the twice-failed candidate.
Harris Floats Another White House Bid
Harris told reporters Friday she is considering another presidential campaign, citing her four years as vice president. She emphasized her time in the West Wing and Situation Room as qualifications for the presidency. The statement comes despite her disastrous 2024 campaign performance and her 2019 primary collapse, when she withdrew weeks before the Iowa caucuses after her support evaporated. Early 2028 polling shows Harris leading among potential Democratic candidates, mirroring the early Iowa polls in 2019 that failed to materialize into actual voter support.
Democratic Insiders Express Doubts
The Huffington Post quoted an anonymous Democratic operative who works with major party donors questioning why Democrats would repeat their mistakes. The operative requested anonymity to speak frankly about Harris, described as one of the most powerful people in Democratic politics. The criticism represents a significant shift from a publication typically aligned with progressive Democratic causes. Party insiders have grown frustrated with Harris’s perceived lack of self-awareness about her electoral weaknesses, according to the report.
Record of Failure Haunts Comeback Hopes
Harris’s vice presidential tenure included assignments on border security and national security issues that produced no measurable successes. President Biden selected her as his running mate after publicly committing to choose a black female candidate, leaving limited options. Her 2024 presidential campaign lasted only months before voters rejected her candidacy. Party leaders including Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi reportedly favored an open primary process rather than Harris automatically receiving the nomination. Biden’s endorsement came only after he was forced from the ticket, viewed by some as a final act of defiance against party leadership.
Pattern Recognition Problem
Democratic voters consistently tell pollsters they support Harris in theoretical matchups but fail to actually vote for her when primaries arrive. The pattern emerged in 2019 when early polling showed strong support that collapsed once voting began. Similar dynamics appeared in 2024, though Harris secured the nomination without facing primary voters. The disconnect between polling support and actual votes presents a fundamental challenge for any 2028 campaign, one that Democratic donors and operatives now openly question.
