Illustration by Dulce Maria Pop-Bonini
An Autopsy of Harris’ Loss Reveals a Crude Reality of Identity Politics in America
This election serves as a wake-up call for Democrats who have long assumed support from key voter groups like people of color, women, and college-educated youth.
Nov 17, 2024
The past week has been a week of introspection for many who thought the United States was on the verge of shattering its ultimate glass ceiling. I am frustrated and angry, but a voice within me pushes past these emotions to ask: why did 51 million Americans choose a candidate who has joked about Puerto Ricans, been convicted of sexual assault, and framed immigrants as ‘dog and cat eaters?’
The uncomfortable truth: Donald Trump drew substantial support from working-class voters across racial lines. Another truth: not all of his supporters are “racist, illiterate, misogynistic bigots,” and consoling myself with that explanation would obscure what really matters to many Americans — inflation, food insecurity, and healthcare.
A closer look at county-level election results reveals some intriguing paradoxes. Trump won Anson County, North Carolina, with its 40% African-American population — a Democratic stronghold since Reconstruction. In Texas, he took Starr County, a 97% Latino area, the first Republican to do so in 132 years. This county sent a clear message, even with Trump’s proposed ‘crackdown on immigration’. Trump also won Bucks County, Pennsylvania, among other wealthy, educated suburbanites Kamala Harris hoped would rally to her after Roe v. Wade’s reversal. In Michigan’s Saginaw County, Trump garnered the support of Black community leaders, union organizers, and Latino manufacturing workers, even outperforming the progressive energy that Sanders once harnessed in the region.
Predictably, the search for a scapegoat has begun. Shifting through the debris of their loss, Democrat operatives, lawmakers, and supporters have pointed fingers toward the administration’s policy on Gaza and Joe Biden’s exit, but most insidiously, the blame toward demographic groups is particularly rampant. MSNBC’s Joy Reid did not mince her words while blaming white women “for losing another opportunity of fighting the patriarchy in this country.” Others, including Jill Stein and Muslim voters, face accusations of splitting the Democratic vote or abstaining. Former press secretary, Jen Psaki, cautioned against treating voter groups as ‘monoliths.’ She’s right. Framing race and gender as the loci of blame repeats the errors that cost Democrats the election.
The pummeling of the Democrats' “blue wall” holds hard lessons for 2028 — or even the 2026 midterms:
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You can not guilt-trip voters. This lesson rings especially true regarding Harris’ alienation of Arab-American communities, especially in Dearborn, Michigan. Refusing to host a Palestinian-American speaker at the Democrat National Convention, while sending pro-Israel surrogates in Michigan, exposed a troubling hypocrisy. Attempts to dismiss these concerns or framing dissent as disloyalty risk further eroding the trust of a community already feeling sidelined. This misstep highlights the importance of genuine engagement and policy responsiveness over symbolic gestures or moral appeals in building lasting coalitions.
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The Democrats have a messaging problem. TikTok influencers, celebrity endorsements, and catchy soundbites may have energized segments of the electorate, but they cannot substitute for concrete policy differentiation or a clear vision for the future. Harris' campaign relied heavily on these tools but failed to distinguish her platform from President Biden’s, particularly on pressing issues like foreign policy and inflation. This lack of differentiation reinforced perceptions of a stagnant status quo for many voters, especially younger and marginalized groups. Without this recalibration, Democrats risk alienating key constituencies in an already polarized political landscape.
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The myth of a uniformly liberal youth vote has been exposed. While progressive causes such as demanding climate action and reproductive rights continue to mobilize many, a growing contingent of young conservatives champion unfettered free speech, parental rights in education, and opposition to perceived overreach in diversity policies. Regional variations further complicate this picture; young voters in rural areas and small towns are often more conservative than their urban counterparts. The former are not as visible in mainstream media. Equating this non-visibility with non-relevance was another mistake on the part of Democrats.
Rather than resting in the comfort of virtue signaling, I must confront an unsettling reality. As a privileged, well-educated woman living on a liberal college campus, I failed to grasp how pressing issues like the cost of living shaped the decisions of many Americans. If the Democrats hope to rebuild trust, they should not just take voters for granted, but work to “earn” their vote by addressing the issues that affect Americans’ daily lives.
Aarushi Prasad is a Contributing Writer Email them at feedback@thegazelle.org.
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