Vice President Kamala Harris is taking a unique approach to courting the progressive left as she gears up for the 2024 presidential race. While she has not always had a smooth relationship with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Harris has been making efforts to align herself with their priorities and values in recent times. Her campaign has been endorsed by major progressive organizations, signaling a shift towards a more leftward course for the White House.
The Progressive Movement’s View of Harris
Many progressives see Harris’s candidacy as an opportunity to push the Democratic Party towards a more progressive agenda. William Walter, the executive director of Our Wisconsin Revolution, a battleground state organization dedicated to progressive principles, noted that Harris’s relationship with the progressive movement is unique. While she may not be seen as a progressive dreamboat like Bernie Sanders, many progressives recognize the urgency of the current political climate.
Walter emphasized the importance of preventing former President Donald Trump from returning to the White House, viewing it as a critical step in safeguarding democracy. He believes that once the immediate threat is averted, progressives can begin pressuring the Democratic Party to prioritize working-class issues and expand their platform to better reflect the values of the progressive movement.
Harris’s Campaign Platform
Harris’s campaign has embraced a populist angle, focusing on economic policies aimed at lowering costs for American families. She has unveiled a comprehensive economic plan that includes initiatives to eliminate medical debt, prevent price gouging on essential goods, provide subsidies for first-time homebuyers, and offer tax credits for families with newborns. Her campaign emphasizes her middle-class roots, drawing attention to her experience working at McDonald’s.
In her campaign speeches, Harris has stressed the idea of a “people-powered campaign” and pledged to prioritize progressive policies such as affordable housing, increased access to childcare, and paid family leave. While she initially supported Bernie Sanders’s Medicare for All legislation, Harris has shifted her stance on healthcare, focusing on alternative mechanisms to lower costs. Additionally, she has refrained from supporting a ban on fracking, a controversial issue within the progressive movement.
Challenges and Criticisms
Despite her efforts to align with progressive priorities, Harris has faced criticism from some within the progressive movement. One point of contention is her background in criminal justice, particularly her tenure as a prosecutor. While Harris has highlighted her experience as a prosecutor as a strength in combating Trump, her past policies have raised concerns among progressives who advocate for criminal justice reform.
Critics have raised objections to Harris’s prosecutorial record, pointing to policies that they believe contributed to mass incarceration and disproportionately impacted communities of color. Some have questioned her commitment to police reform, citing instances where she pursued harsh measures against certain individuals. While Harris’s defenders argue that her prosecutorial background is more nuanced than critics suggest, the issue remains a point of contention within the progressive movement.
Progressive Support and Expectations
Despite these challenges, Harris has garnered support from progressive organizations like Progressive Democrats of America, which has endorsed her campaign. The organization sees Harris as a candidate who could better represent progressive policies compared to President Biden, citing her previous support for single-payer healthcare as an example. They view her as part of a broader shift within the Democratic Party towards a more progressive economic agenda.
While progressives have expressed optimism about Harris’s candidacy, they also acknowledge the need for incremental, progressive changes if she were to win the presidency. They anticipate that Harris may not fully align with all aspects of the progressive agenda but hope that her tenure would set the country on a path towards meaningful reform. As Harris navigates the complexities of courting the progressive left, she faces challenges and expectations from a diverse range of voices within the movement.