Sanders critiques Kamala Harris’ campaign, highlighting the Democratic Party’s disconnect with working-class voters as Trump wins the 2024 election.
November 9, 2024
Digital Worldwide News
Senator Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont senator speaking in Austin, Texas. Vice President Kamala Harris on a phone call in Washington, D.C., on November 5.
In the wake of Kamala Harris’s significant defeat in the 2024 presidential election, Bernie Sanders, Vermont's well-known independent senator who aligns closely with the Democratic Party, has offered a stark analysis of the results. Sanders voiced his view that working-class voters felt increasingly overlooked and marginalized by Harris’s campaign, which he believes lacked a resonant economic message. According to Sanders, voters told Harris “screw you,” a blunt reaction rooted in the perception that her platform failed to address their core economic concerns. This message, he suggests, played a key role in paving the way for President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping win, marking a major shift in the political landscape and underscoring a growing divide within the American electorate.
Trump's victory in the 2024 election sent a strong message, as he managed to secure both the popular vote and a substantial Electoral College majority. This time, Trump attracted a more diverse coalition, including a rise in support from young voters, rural communities, and previously untapped groups, such as moderate voters and male Latinos. The numbers reflect a striking pivot in voter preferences since the 2020 election, with Trump’s popularity noticeably improving in several key demographics, even among some traditional Democratic voters. Trump’s appeal to these groups was rooted in his campaign’s focused messaging on economic revitalization, national pride, and a promise to prioritize "forgotten Americans"—a message that many felt was lacking in Harris’s approach.
Sanders, who secured his own re-election, commented on the missteps he observed within Harris’s campaign strategy. He pointed out that while the campaign promoted social issues and focused on Trump’s qualifications, it fell short on the kinds of economic policies that resonate with working-class Americans, like expanding Medicare, increasing wages, and addressing economic inequality head-on. Sanders emphasized, “We tried hard to steer the campaign toward an economic agenda that would speak to working-class Americans’ needs. The reality is that the status quo might be working well for the wealthy, but it’s failing the working people, and that’s who the Democrats should be fighting for.” According to Sanders, the lack of attention to economic issues contributed to a disillusionment among working-class voters, who have grown increasingly skeptical of the Democratic Party’s commitment to addressing their struggles.
Despite Harris’s focus on critical issues like abortion rights, protecting democracy, and questioning Trump’s fitness for office, her platform lacked what many progressive voices consider essential—bold, transformative economic proposals that could draw in a broader base of voters who are eager for tangible change. Progressive leaders, including Sanders, believe that the Democratic Party needs to realign its messaging and focus on economic populism to regain the trust of working-class Americans. For them, Harris’s campaign marked a missed opportunity to address these critical issues, which may have led to the Democratic nominee’s defeat.
Following Trump’s victory, Sanders issued a statement on Wednesday that underscored his criticism of the Democratic Party’s approach to the election. In his message, he did not hold back, condemning the party for what he perceives as an ongoing trend of "abandoning" working-class voters. “It should come as no surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working-class people would find that the working class has abandoned them,” Sanders remarked. He elaborated on this theme by pointing out the gradual erosion of Democratic support among groups that once formed the party’s core base, including white, Black, and Latino working-class voters. Sanders argued that many Americans "are angry and want change," and he suggested that the Democratic Party's focus on defending "the status quo" has left millions feeling unseen and disregarded.
Jared Abbott, the director of the Center for Working-Class Politics, echoed Sanders’s sentiments in a separate statement, offering insights into the growing divide between the Democratic Party and the working class. Abbott has observed a long-standing sense of disconnection among working-class voters, who feel that the party has shifted its attention to wealthier, more highly educated constituents at the expense of those who struggle financially. Abbott explained, “For years, Democrats have portrayed themselves as the party that will deliver material benefits to improve the lives of working-class Americans. Yet, in reality, many of these promises have not been fulfilled. While there have been some important reforms, like the Affordable Care Act, the party’s focus seems to have drifted toward wealthier and more affluent voters.”
According to Abbott, this shift has resulted in a cultural divide, with working-class Americans perceiving Democrats as being out of touch with their concerns. The Democratic Party's current appeal to wealthier, more educated voters is seen as neglectful by many working-class citizens, who believe that their struggles and priorities are no longer represented. This perception, Abbott noted, goes beyond policy specifics and taps into a broader sense of disillusionment, as these voters feel overlooked in favor of affluent interests that dominate the party's messaging.
The messaging gap is a crucial element of what Abbott sees as a critical issue for the Democrats. He emphasized the importance of connecting with working-class Americans on a visceral, emotional level—a connection that Trump successfully established by addressing their anger and frustration about being left behind in the current economic system. Abbott explained, “Trump’s appeal to working-class people was not based purely on policy; it was deeply emotional. He voiced the anger, frustration, and pain that many feel about being left out of the American dream, and the Democrats need candidates who can connect with working-class voters in a similar way.” He went on to emphasize that addressing the concerns of these voters is not a mystery. “It’s not rocket science. The Democrats know what they need to be saying to reach these voters, but they have to take bold steps to bridge the gap.”
Sanders's remarks about the election results reflect a broader debate within the Democratic Party about how to effectively reconnect with working-class Americans. The party, which has traditionally represented laborers and economically marginalized communities, has struggled to balance its appeal to progressive activists, affluent urban professionals, and its historic working-class base. Critics argue that focusing primarily on social issues, such as reproductive rights and environmental policies, without adequately addressing economic concerns, may alienate some of the party’s most loyal supporters.
As the dust settles on the 2024 election, Trump’s victory marks a defining moment in American politics, as the Republicans have succeeded in consolidating support among new groups of voters who feel neglected by the Democratic Party. This demographic shift presents a formidable challenge to Democrats as they face the reality of a more fragmented and polarized political landscape. For many working-class Americans, Trump’s populist rhetoric and promises of economic rejuvenation appear to align more closely with their needs than the social policy-oriented focus of the Democratic platform.
Sanders’s call for a renewed focus on working-class concerns aligns with a growing faction of progressives who believe that the Democratic Party’s path forward requires a return to economic populism. These voices within the party argue that only by prioritizing policies like wage increases, affordable healthcare, and economic security can the Democrats hope to regain the trust of working-class voters who have felt left behind. The next steps for the Democratic Party will likely involve a difficult balancing act as they navigate the expectations of various constituencies while attempting to appeal to a diverse and evolving electorate.
In reflecting on the results of the 2024 election, Sanders’s criticisms offer a clear blueprint for change within the Democratic Party, urging leaders to take a more inclusive approach to economic issues and to prioritize the needs of all Americans—not just the affluent. As Sanders and other progressive figures continue to voice their concerns, it remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party will heed these warnings and adapt its strategy in time for future elections. With Trump poised to assume the presidency once again, the Democrats face an urgent task: to rebuild trust with the working class, regain their political footing, and prove that they stand for the economic betterment of every American.