The Harris/Walz Coalition Lost an Election, But It Should Not Turn Against Itself
“Nobody's right, if everybody's wrong.”
Every election loss offers anyone with an opinion a new chance to repeat past positions as today’s needed solutions, but the breadth of this loss has many thoughtful commentators leading with humility and restraint. Still, there are voices after the election pointing the finger of blame at Vice President Kamala Harris (and her campaign), President Joe Biden (and his administration), and making the case that the campaign was either too focused on winning moderate Republican votes, or too closely aligned with progressive policies and groups (e.g. transgender rights, immigrant rights) to hope of ever winning another election.
We are certainly not saying the current leaders of the Democratic Party are above criticism, that they performed flawlessly, or even had a strategy that could have won a close election, we are saving our strategic analysis and priorities for change for our next post, but first we want to plead with all of the center/left and left commentators to place a higher value on holding our political coalition together and supporting our allies than on properly affixing blame for the loss, or endless repetitions of the destructive battles between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party. We need each other now more than ever so first let us go through the stages of grief, connect with our family, friends, and community over the Thanksgiving weekend and then we can work together to plan for the future.
The Harris campaign made appeals across the political spectrum earning support from dozens of important groups -- union workers, young voters and older voters, progressives and moderates, white women and white “dudes”, black women and black men, Latinas and Latinos, Reagan/Bush/Cheney Republicans, veterans and military families, and law and order families – and with the possible exception of black women, every group underperformed at the ballot box. A lot of Democrats live in glass houses when it comes to pointing fingers at other groups. Now is the time to regroup, to circle the wagons for mutual defense not to form ourselves into a circular firing squad.
We address ourselves to any who would argue that either progressives or moderates deserve blame for this loss. Trumpism is a culture of bullying, and the other side will pick on individuals and groups to further their aims. We cannot agree with the playground bully that this kid is too skinny, and that kid is too fat, and then be surprised to ourselves experience the bully’s contempt. We cannot agree with their political attack ads and join their chorus when they attack any constituency of our coalition be they Nancy Pelosi or the Squad; Jews or Muslims, immigrants and racial minorities, LGBTQ, our girls and women, our boys and men, our nonbinary, our feminists, environmentalists, and labor unions, our most progressive supporters and also the brave Republicans standing up to Trump in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law; instead we must stand closer together and not divide apart.
After years where Nancy Pelosi was the target of Republican attacks from coast to coast, and a few cycles where the Squad (four progressive women of color Democratic House members) were the GOP targets, this year millions were spent linking Democrats to the transgender community. When the Harris campaign and Democrats failed to respond the ads continued reaching every football fan in America multiple times. We strongly reject any in the Party that say we need to distance ourselves from LGBTQ+ rights, especially transgendered rights, dignity, and equality, after this election any more than we should have abandoned gay and lesbian rights and marriage equality as an issue when Republicans used that as a wedge issue in 2004.
We need to stand up to the bullies on the other side and proudly proclaim our support for trans freedom, trans rights, and trans lives because we stand united in a dangerous world, and our community has values that include a culture of caring and protecting those among us facing the greatest challenges. President Joe Biden and the Harris Walz 2024 campaign united a broad coalition to protect all of our freedoms, our democracy and our investments in a strong economy that is creating opportunities for middle class families to achieve the American dream. The struggle continues and we will need every element of the coalition to remain united to protect this vision.
Now is the time to regroup.
Enjoy a nice family thanksgiving even if some in the family voted for Donald Trump or voted for Harris/Walz and now blame the campaign for being too progressive or too moderate, or simply would rather not talk about politics. The proper response is, “Dear uncle, please pass the Brussels sprouts.”