Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday thanked grassroots supporters who donated their time and treasure ahead of her losing bid for the presidency, saying the fight for their agenda “did not end of Nov. 5” and brighter days are ahead for the Democratic Party.
Ms. Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, offered a pep talk during a virtual call three weeks after the GOP won the White House and majorities in the Senate and House.
“It feels heavy, and I just have to remind you — don’t let anybody take your power from you,” Ms. Harris said. “You have the same power that you had before Nov. 5, and you have the same purpose that you did.”
Mr. Walz told supporters he understands the emotions they are feeling.
“I share those with you,” he said. “We weren’t running against something. We were running for something. … Candidly, it’s a bit scary because there is a very different vision that is being put out there.”
The Harris-Walz ticket lost all seven battleground states to Mr. Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance. The GOP ticket won a 312-226 victory in the Electoral College and the popular vote by about 2.5 million votes.
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“The election didn’t turn out like we wanted it to. But understand, the work we put into it was about empowering people,” Ms. Harris said.
Ms. Harris replaced President Biden on top of the Democratic ticket in July. Concerns about Mr. Biden’s age and abilities reached a boiling point after his poor debate performance against Mr. Trump in June.
Ms. Harris swiftly consolidated support from Democratic Party insiders and enjoyed momentum after a solid debate performance in September, but her campaign faltered in the final weeks.
Voters said they were more concerned about topics like the economy and immigration than Ms. Harris’ focus on portraying Mr. Trump as a threat to democracy.
The vice president used Tuesday’s call to highlight fundraising records they achieved en route to her defeat. Her campaign received roughly $1.4 billion from grassroots supporters alone, with nearly 8 million donors contributing an average of $56.
Still, pundits questioned Ms. Harris’ campaign spending and use of celebrities at campaign concerts, saying it seemed out of touch with voters’ pocketbook concerns.
Ms. Harris, a former U.S. senator, made history as the first female vice president, but her political future is now unclear. There is speculation she could regroup for another presidential run in 2028 or seek a lower office, such as governor of California.
During the call, she focused on her supporters.
“I know your character is such that you’re not going to get knocked down,” she said. “You’re in this fight. You’re in it for the right reasons.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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