Jill Biden Reflects on Harris’ 2024 Election Loss

In a recent interview, former First Lady Jill Biden expressed her surprise regarding Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race. She stated that, despite the outcome, she believes Harris would have made a good president.

“I truly thought she was going to win,” Jill shared with Rita Braver during a segment on CBS News’ “Sunday Morning,” just before the launch of her memoir, “View from the East Wing.”

Braver seemed taken aback, prompting Jill to elaborate on the enthusiasm surrounding Harris’ campaign. “Seeing her with the crowd’s energy and the way people rallied behind her, I was convinced she’d come out on top,” she noted. “I mean, I was utterly shocked by the results because I think she has the potential to be a great president.”

“I went to bed” that election night, the former First Lady recalled, “I really couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she had lost.”

Harris, who was anticipated to be a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic nomination, is noteworthy for being the first Democratic candidate in two decades to lose the popular vote. Trump, however, garnered 326 Electoral College votes, which was the highest for a Republican nominee since George H.W. Bush in 1988.

Following the Democratic setback—despite Harris raising a hefty $1 billion in just six weeks after former President Joe Biden announced his bid for re-election on July 21, 2024—there were reports suggesting a lack of “public connection” with the former senator and California attorney general.

One source remarked, “While she was the nominee, President Trump made her appear less favorable than Hillary Clinton.” There were even comments about Joe Biden’s portrayal during the campaign, suggesting that at least Biden had outperformed Trump, while Hillary Clinton had shown more resilience than either of them.

The relationship between Harris and Jill Biden has been quite complex, tracing back to the 2020 Democratic primary when Harris challenged Joe Biden regarding his history with school desegregation busing.

Reflecting on that moment, Jill Biden criticized the attack, stating to supporters, “Given what he cares about, what he’s fighting for, you just call him a racist without reason? That’s not right.”

After Joe Biden secured the Democratic nomination, there were reports of Jill opposing Harris as a running mate, voicing concerns like, “There are millions of people in America. Why should we pick someone who attacked my husband?”