Progressives feel left out as Kamala campaign keeps reaching out to Republicans: NPR

Some progressives are feeling sidelined as Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign focuses on outreach to moderate Republicans and independent voters, according to a report by NPR.

The Harris team has been working to appeal to these voter groups, aiming to secure victories in close races across key swing states. However, some on the left worry that the campaign is overlooking its left-wing coalition.

“It just hurts, when she says, ‘I’ll have Republicans in my cabinet’ or she’s campaigning with Liz Cheney,” Harris supporter Brian Ramirez, who works with the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, told NPR. 

“When she speaks on the border, she speaks a lot on drugs, crime — that kind of thing — when it’s much more than that,” added Ramirez, who was previously in the country illegally.

Concerns are growing among progressives that some may opt out of voting for Harris altogether or consider third-party alternatives. Harris has increased her criticism of Donald Trump, framing him as a threat to democracy and likening him to Adolf Hitler. However, Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution—a group formed after Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign—feels that this argument alone may not be enough to motivate progressive voters.

“The question is — which candidate is going to improve my standard of living? Which candidate is going to give me a better shot of living the American dream?” he explained. “It's important to remember Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016 by running as a working class champion. He promised more jobs, better wages.”

Another critical issue for many progressive voters is the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Some feel the Democratic Party has been overly supportive of Israel, while moderates believe the party may not be supportive enough of the Jewish state. Under Biden, some left-leaning voters expressed frustration with his support for Israel, but they may feel Harris aligns more closely with their views.

“I wanted the Democratic party to earn my vote,” said Adrian Consonery, Jr., according to NPR. “At this current juncture – they’re doing a way better job than what they were.”

In the final stretch of the campaign, Harris has enlisted the help of high-profile figures like Michelle and Barack Obama and celebrities such as Beyoncé for her rallies. Michelle Obama, who remains a popular figure within the Democratic Party, addressed voters in Michigan, a crucial swing state, encouraging hesitant Democrats to remain engaged.

“I recognize that there are a lot of angry, disillusioned people out there, upset with the slow pace of change,” Michelle Obama said. “But to anyone out there thinking about sitting out this election or voting for Donald Trump or a third-party candidate in protest because you're fed up — let me warn you your rage does not exist in a vacuum.”