Published
4 years agoon
It would be interesting to know the precise moment that California Sen. Kamala Harris realized that she would not win the presidency, at least not in 2020.
If it’s not already occurred, it implies a state of denial. And if it has, one wonders why she’s continuing a campaign that is in freefall and, if not ended soon, could damage her political future.
If she could score well in those early states, so went her original strategy, she could make a game-changing touchdown in California, which had advanced its presidential primary to March.
Alas, she’s not doing well in her home state either. A new Public Policy Institute of California pollfound that just 8% of Democratic voters want her to go to the White House, one-third of frontrunner Biden’s standing.
Predictably, the national political press has shifted from anointing Harris as the next Barack Obama to delving into what short-circuited her campaign.
Some analysts see her equivocating positions on hot-button issues such as single-payer health care as a negative factor, and they certainly played a role. Harris is well-known in California for positioning herself on issues to avoid risk, but seemingly lacking any central philosophical core.
Others conducting autopsies on her dying campaign have found internal disorganizationstemming, in part, from having her sister, Maya, play such a prominent role in fashioning strategy and tactics, overriding the professionals.
That’s somewhat reminiscent of what happened to another California politician who seemed to be on the fast-track to the White House, Republican Dan Lungren. State attorney general at the time, he seemed destined to win the governorship in 1998 against a weak Democrat, Gray Davis, but allowed members of his family to run what turned out to be a very disorganized campaign and lost.
Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. He has written more than 9,000 columns about the state and its politics and is the founding editor of the “California Political Almanac.” Dan has also been a frequent guest on national television news shows, commenting on California issues and policies.
Hill Hoppers Conquer Dusy-Ershim Trail, Help Maintain the Sierra
California Lawmakers OK Potential Fines for High Gas Prices
Who Buys Electric Cars in California—and Who Doesn’t?
Much of Drought-Plagued West Coast Faces Salmon Fishing Ban
A Boom for Concealed Carry Classes, but Long Waits for Permits
It’s Raining Now, but How Can California Boost Its Water Supply Later?