Special Poll
Vice President Kamala Harris is taking a different approach compared to Hillary Clinton during the final stretch of the presidential campaign:
- Focus on the Glass Ceiling:
- Harris: Has not centered her campaign around breaking the glass ceiling or making history, even though she could be the first woman elected president.
- Clinton: Highlighted her potential to make history, often emphasizing gender and the importance of shattering the glass ceiling.
- Advantage: Harris may be focusing on broader issues, not just her identity.
- Disadvantage: Missing an opportunity to galvanize voters who see the significance of a female presidency.
- Campaign Strategy in the Midwest:
- Harris: Has been actively focusing on key Midwestern states like Wisconsin, a state Clinton famously skipped and later regretted losing in 2016.
- Clinton: Avoided certain critical states like Wisconsin in the final days of the 2016 campaign.
- Advantage: Harris’s targeted approach may help win over critical battleground states.
- Disadvantage: Requires a heavy focus in one region, potentially missing outreach elsewhere.
- Advertising Approach:
- Harris: Running positive or contrast ads, rather than negative ones focused on attacking Trump.
- Clinton: Relied heavily on negative ads about Trump during the final weeks of her campaign.
- Advantage: Harris may be reaching voters who are tired of negativity in politics.
- Disadvantage: Positive ads may not be as effective at countering Trump’s messaging.
- Voter Introduction:
- Harris: Working to introduce herself to the public, as she is not as widely known as Clinton was.
- Clinton: Had decades of public exposure, allowing her to focus more on policy than personal introduction.
- Advantage: Harris has the opportunity to define herself before the opposition does.
- Disadvantage: She has a shorter window to make an impact, having replaced President Biden late in the race.
- Learning from 2016:
- Harris: Benefiting from lessons learned from Clinton’s loss in 2016, such as her approach to Trump and campaign strategy.
- Clinton: Didn’t have the advantage of hindsight when running against Trump.
- Advantage: Harris’s campaign can avoid key mistakes made in 2016.
- Disadvantage: There’s no guarantee that Trump in 2024 will be the same candidate he was in 2016, presenting new challenges.
- Handling Trump:
- Harris: Focusing on contrast ads, showing her differences from Trump, and not engaging in full-out attacks.
- Clinton: Went negative in the final weeks, which contributed to a race where both candidates were viewed unfavorably.
- Advantage: Harris could avoid the trap of mutual negativity that hurt Clinton.
- Disadvantage: There’s a risk that not going aggressively negative could allow Trump’s narrative to dominate.
- Voter Outreach Platforms:
- Harris: Reaching out to different voter blocs, including Black men, through unconventional platforms like podcasts.
- Clinton: Was criticized for not engaging in more casual, wide-reaching interviews, such as with Howard Stern.
- Advantage: Harris is expanding her reach to more varied audiences.
- Disadvantage: Some feel Harris is still not doing enough interviews with traditional media.
By taking a different path than Clinton, Harris is aiming to address the lessons of 2016 while also carving out her own strategy in a changing political landscape.