Former Vice President Kamala Harris is making appearances across the United States to support candidates in key battleground states. However, her presence is often seen as a liability rather than an asset.
As she seeks to bolster her national profile ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run, candidates in tight races—from Alaska to Wisconsin—have expressed that they don’t really want her campaigning on their behalf, as reported.
In Kansas, Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton pointed out that having someone from California trying to influence voters in the heartland isn’t particularly effective. “Having somebody from California come in and try to tell Kansans who they should vote for is a pretty bad idea,” he remarked.
Despite her loss to President Trump in the 2024 election, Harris is still very much associated with the national Democratic brand, which, unfortunately, has been struggling in terms of voter approval—even with Trump’s numbers declining.
Her popularity stood at about 42 percent last year, according to a YouGov poll. This has led some Democrats in competitive districts to consider her involvement more of a hindrance than a help.
Rebecca Cooke, who aims to defeat Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin, indicated that Harris should maintain her distance, even though she is open to endorsements from other potential 2028 candidates like Pete Buttigieg. “I received 9,000 more votes than Harris in 2024,” Cooke stated. “I don’t need anyone to come and campaign with me in my district. I do the work of building relationships — including across the aisle — on my own.”
In Alaska, Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola has also distanced herself from Harris. After the former Vice President sent out a fundraising email to support her, Peltola’s campaign asserted that she isn’t seeking endorsements from anyone outside of Alaska, emphasizing her focus on local issues.
Some Democrats have been pretty clear about not wanting Harris’ assistance. Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, currently in a tightly contested governor race in a state that generally supports Trump, openly dismissed her relevance. “Let’s move on. We need some new leadership,” Sand commented, and when asked about her potential presidential run, he simply said, “No.”
During a recent appearance on MS NOW, Harris stated that her main goal is to help elect more Democrats. “Bottom line, we need to win,” she declared. “I have run locally. I’ve run for statewide office and obviously nationally and these candidates know what they need to do to win and I would expect nothing less.” She mentioned looking forward to supporting candidates where she can be useful, but stressed the need to put a stop to what she termed a “lawless administration.”
