A Shift to the Right: Why Kamala Harris Lost Ground in NYC
“As we all brace for a second term of Donald Trump, it has become evident that both parties must address the growing division of voters and work to regain the trust of Americans in ways other than relying merely on identity and partisan loyalty.”
As many of you know Kamala Harris who was the Democratic presidential candidate lost the election to three-time incumbent Donald Trump in a landslide. Many people were in awe of the results of the election and the quickness of the turnout of the election. Though Kamala Harris did win in typically Democratically strongholds like New York and New Jersey, the margins Kamala Harris were not as big as her predecessor Joe Biden. This was a result of voter discontent, and Republican gains and appeal.
A major factor behind Kamala Harris' struggle to secure strong margins in Democratic strongholds like New York and New Jersey was as a result of voter discontent. Many voters felt that the Democratic party wasn't addressing the pressing issues facing the country such as inflation, housing affordability, and job security. During the Kamala Harris campaign, she did not highlight any of her policies that would support the middle class, but instead focused on maintaining the existing policies from the Joe Biden administration. The Republican campaign capitalized on the concerns of the middle class by offering relief to middle-class voters — stating targeted responses to their concerns, such as economic relief, and job growth, which resonated with voters.
I spoke with my neighbor, a lifelong resident of the North Bronx where I live, which is also a community known for its strong educational institutions and its Democratic base, a base who previously voted for Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton in the last two elections. This time, however, he chose to vote for Donald Trump.
When asked about his decision, he explained: “I voted for Trump because I feel that he would address our concerns. I have seen more taxes being taken out of payment during the Biden administration and I can't even afford to eat good food daily.” Moreover, my neighbors' sentiments echo a broader frustration among voters who have faced rising costs and stagnant wages, things that have left them wanting real solutions instead of more of the same. According to the 2024 NBC exit poll, 80 percent of people who voted for Donald Trump stated they voted for him as a result of the economy being the biggest issue. This exit poll exemplifies how Donald Trump's messages throughout his campaign have resonated with many middle-class people.
In The Bronx, Kamala Harris's lack of outreach led to her diminishing ground support. While her opponent Donald Trump visited the Bronx twice, once earlier in the year and most recently last month, engaging with outreach on lower-class voters, Harris focused her campaign on battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, neglecting the middle-class community in the Bronx.
Hence, her lack of effort reinforced the idea that she took Democratic bases for granted, believing that they would automatically vote for her. I asked Emmanuel, a native Bronxite from the South Bronx who has seen a lot of gentrification and is a first-time voter about why he believes Kamala lost ground in New York. He said “Kamala didn’t emphasize her policies, and she didn't seem like she cared about us New Yorkers. She believed that just because we are traditionally democratic we will just give up our vote for her.” Emmanuel and many others highlighted the importance of addressing local issues and understanding everyone's needs instead of focusing on specific groups.
Kamala Harris' struggles during the 2024 election display a critical lesson to the democratic party that stronghold democrats should not be taken for granted. She believed this election was going to be like 2020 and her status as an African American woman swung voters to vote for her. It did not pan out that way and now democrats are trying to reshape their party to better address the issues of Americans. As we all brace for a second term of Donald Trump, it has become evident that both parties must address the growing division of voters and work to regain the trust of Americans in ways other than relying merely on identity and partisan loyalty.