Polls revealed issues with Harris that the media and Democrats were avoiding
We analyzed numerous swing-state polls over the past several months, and the resulting stories generated diverse reactions, evident in readership data and passionate discussions about the surveys.
Many polls echoed the prevailing narrative in the mainstream media, indicating that Kamala Harris possessed a unique appeal that could propel her to the White House with the support of women, young voters, and a diverse coalition symbolizing a new era.
The peak of excitement around Harris was epitomized by a pivotal Selzer poll that suggested she could win over traditionally Republican Iowa, a state where women had previously voted for conservative Kim Reynolds, signaling a significant shift towards a candidate whose policies and approach differed starkly from the state’s values.
Dems and their media allies were eager to endorse this narrative due to their belief in the righteousness of their policy stances, assuming they needed no justification or opposition, relying on superficial storylines rather than offering a clear vision for the future.
Harris and the soon-to-be-rejected Tim Walz positioned themselves as representatives of Generation X, contrasting sharply with Donald Trump and the baby boomer ideology. In this context, they avoided extensive interactions with traditional political media, sidestepping challenging press briefings and opting for controlled interviews with sympathetic podcast hosts instead.
Months earlier, an article I wrote labeled Harris’ campaign as a “vibes” initiative. However, the campaign fixated on superficial appeals, failing to connect with voters based on the achievements of the Biden-Harris administration but relying on an idealistic vision detached from past realities, akin to an insipid motivational poster found in an Airbnb.
This aspirational approach necessitated voters to ignore the incumbent reality, obscuring the substantial impact of the Biden-Harris administration, from economic challenges to diversity initiatives that favor specific groups at the expense of the middle class, to a questionable foreign policy strategy that exacerbated issues in various regions worldwide.
Did voters recognize these realities?
Numerous polls suggested so, pointing towards the likelihood of Trump gaining support at Harris’ detriment, leading to what the president-elect termed as a “historic realignment.”
For instance, the Trump campaign’s successful outreach to black male voters was initially dismissed by critics, despite previous GOP candidates neglecting this demographic at their own peril.