Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent campaign appearance with former Representative Liz Cheney has raised concerns about her appeal among independent voters, particularly in key swing states. A newly released poll has shown that Harris’ decision to align herself with Cheney—an outspoken anti-Trump Republican—may have hurt her standing among a crucial voting bloc.
Democrats, after reviewing the results of the recent election, have been reflecting on Harris’ performance, especially after she lost significant battleground states to former President Donald Trump. Moderates within the party have pointed to her inability to overcome her more progressive stances, while others criticize her shift toward the political center and the fallout from the Biden administration’s controversial stance on Israel.
A survey conducted by Data for Progress, a polling firm with a left-leaning track record, revealed troubling results for Harris. The poll focused on two states, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where Harris narrowly lost in the previous election. According to the poll, a notable portion of independent voters in both states were less enthusiastic about voting for her after she appeared with Cheney. In Pennsylvania, only 21% of independents said that Harris’ campaign appearance with Cheney made them more inclined to vote for her, while 28% expressed that it made them less enthusiastic. In Michigan, 23% were more enthusiastic, but 30% were less likely to support her.
While many independents in both states expressed indifference—around 50% in Pennsylvania and 46% in Michigan said Cheney’s presence made no difference—it’s clear that aligning with Cheney, who gained national attention for her anti-Trump stance, backfired with key independent voters. Some political analysts had warned that Harris’ campaign alongside Cheney might alienate certain voter groups, including Muslim voters, who were already frustrated with the Biden administration’s strong support for Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In the 2020 election, Trump narrowly won both Michigan and Pennsylvania, and these states remain critical in the 2024 race. With Harris struggling to rally independents in these states, her political future remains uncertain as she faces an uphill battle in a highly polarized electorate.