‘Doomed’: Experts say this crucial campaign decision led to VP Harris’ ‘disastrous’ defeat

Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed presidential bid has left political strategists questioning many of the decisions made during her campaign, including her choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Many believe that this decision was just one of many disastrous mistakes that ultimately led to her defeat.

Julian Epstein, a longtime Democratic operative, believes that the Democratic Party leadership was too influenced by the hard left progressive wing of the party when selecting Walz as Harris’ running mate. He argues that the progressive wing opposes common-sense solutions and takes extreme positions on issues like charter schools, terrorism, economic growth, welfare, redistribution, migration, and gender. According to Epstein, this disconnect with the American electorate was a major factor in Harris’ downfall.

Rob Bluey, president and executive editor of The Daily Signal, also criticized the choice of Walz as a significant error in judgment. He believes that Walz was ill-prepared for the national spotlight and media scrutiny, and that Harris overlooked better options for running mate. Bluey points out that Harris faced criticism even from within her own party for not choosing a more moderate candidate like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

Lindy Li, a Harris-Walz surrogate, expressed regret over the choice of Walz and suggested that Shapiro would have been a better fit for the ticket. She believes that Shapiro’s moderate stance would have helped to dispel the notion that Harris is a “San Francisco liberal,” as Trump had claimed.

Walz faced criticism on the campaign trail for questions about his military service, ties to China, response to the George Floyd riots, and policy agenda as governor. Many Minnesotans described his policies as radical, further adding to the challenges faced by the Harris-Walz ticket.

Despite the backlash against Walz, Alex Conant, founding partner of Firehouse Strategies, believes that the problems with Harris’ campaign run deeper. He argues that while Walz may not have helped the ticket, the larger issues were Biden’s unpopular record, Trump’s well-run campaign, and Harris’ own lackluster performance as a candidate.

In conclusion, the choice of Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’ running mate is seen as a major misstep that contributed to her failed presidential bid. However, the issues that led to her defeat were multifaceted and cannot be solely attributed to this decision. Harris’ campaign faced a combination of challenges that ultimately proved insurmountable.