US Election 2024: Harris and the leftist vote
As a leftist, there have always been ample reasons not to support the Democrats, but I understand that for many left-wing and liberal Americans, the need to begrudgingly mark that blue box has gotten more urgent – perhaps than ever before – this time round, at least in swing states. However, in this election, the problems in the Democratic party are much more apparent, with their stance on Palestine in particular pushing away the leftist and non-white electorates.
There is, obviously, a more qualified candidate between Mr Trump and Mrs Harris, however she seems to be ignoring the leftist voter bloc almost entirely, in an attempt to pinch some swing voters. This is evidenced by her convoluted stance on gun control (declaring that she is a gun owner and will not relinquish rights to ownership), and her insistence on maintaining financial support for Israel while again confusingly declaring that Palestinians are in need of humanitarian aid. Additionally, Harris has accepted endorsements from prominent neoconservatives like Liz Cheney. The question for Harris now is whether she has correctly gauged which group is more important for her success, or if this choice will cost her the election.
In the past, the leftist voters do not appear to have been a group influential enough to cost the Democrats an election – in 2016, the issue was Mr Trump’s populist mandate, as well as poor turnout combined with the failures of the electoral college system. This time, however, it is not so concrete. With news of Palestine protests in American universities making headlines, alongside third-party candidates gaining support, it is not clear whether ignoring one edge of the Democratic spectrum is viable for Mrs Harris. Leftist voters, alongside Arab American voters are, justifiably, becoming increasingly more unwilling to Vote Blue No Matter Who, and it remains to be seen if enough will still vote tactically to assure a Harris victory.
