Former Vice President Kamala Harris commemorated the one-year anniversary of her historic 2024 presidential campaign against Donald Trump, sending a message of hope to her supporters.
“One year ago today, I began my campaign for President of the United States,” wrote Harris in a post on Tuesday, marking the official launch of her campaign, which later led to her becoming the first Black and Indian American woman to win a presidential nomination.
“Over the 107 days of our race, I had the opportunity and honor to travel our nation and meet with Americans who were fighting for a better future. And today, millions of Americans continue to stand up for our values, our ideals, and our democracy. Their courage and resolve inspires me,” said Harris.
Seemingly referring to the political pushback in the first six months of Trump’s second term in office–including controversial immigration raids and deportations, and massive cuts to federal programs—the former presidential candidate added, “Whether you are attending a protest, calling your representatives, or building community, I want to say: Thank you. We are in this fight together.”
On July 21, 2024, then-President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race amid pressure from high-level Democratic Party officials and party donors who grew concerned about his advanced age and cognitive abilities. Following a disastrous June 27, 2024, debate against Trump, where Biden often struggled to make coherent statements, many Democrats expressed a lack of confidence that Biden could win re-election.
Within hours of Biden’s shocking decision and endorsement of Harris, the then-vice president announced she would seek the party’s nomination. She ran unopposed and went on to embark on a presidential campaign in just over three months, raising a record $1 billion in just one quarter. However, Harris’s aim for the White House ended in defeat, devastating the Democratic Party.
Reflecting on Harris’s loss, Reecie Colbert, a Democratic analyst and longtime political influencer who supported Harris, sarcastically told theGrio, “Didn’t we almost have it all?”
She explained, “We were this close to not just making history but also truly investing in a future that was going to be brighter for everybody. Instead, this country chose vitriol and chose a criminal for president who is unfit, mentally and qualifications-wise.”
Amid ongoing protests over Trump’s immigration and economic policies, Colbert said, “We have the country that we deserve based on the choice that this country made in November.” She said the U.S. is “worse off by pretty much every metric under Donald Trump than what it would have been if we had elected Kamala Harris.”
Despite her loss, Harris has not ruled out another bid for president in the 2028 election. However, the 60-year-old Democrat is also considering a run for California governor in 2026. Harris has given herself a deadline of the end of summer to make a decision.
As Harris weighs her next political move, Democrats are still reeling from her loss as they navigate their voice post-election—and a winning message for upcoming elections.
Colbert, the host of Sirius XM’s “The Reecie Colbert Show,” said that there is still room for Harris in the political arena, but said the former vice president has to “take up space” and “make the decision that she’s going to be a prominent and consistent voice.”
As other Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Congressman Ro Khanna, engage in shadow 2028 presidential campaigns, Colbert said of Harris’s chances, “I don’t think popping up every couple of months is really going to be enough to keep her in the conversation.”
The Democratic expert said Harris is likely weighing all of the pros and cons of another run for president, including the fact that, historically, nominees who lose typically don’t go on to win the nomination again and subsequently the presidency. The only presidential nominee to lose an election and later win the presidency in modern history was former President Richard Nixon, who lost the general election in 1960 but later won the nomination and presidency in 1968.
However, Colbert cautioned, “If [Harris] wants to run for either [governor or president], she should probably get started yesterday.”
