While some surrogates for Vice President Kamala Harris are pointing to President Joe Biden’s late exit from the race as a key factor in her loss to President-elect Donald Trump, many former campaign staffers say this perspective is “detached from reality.” They argue the loss was largely due to Harris herself, specifically her struggle to connect authentically with voters.

Andrew Yang, a supporter of Harris, suggested that if Biden had exited the race earlier, the outcome might have been different. However, other critics, including former congressman Bob Brady, placed the blame squarely on Harris’s campaign decisions. Brady criticized Harris’s staff for being elitist and failing to collaborate effectively with local Democratic leaders. Staffers expressed frustration with the leadership’s overconfidence and a sense of detachment during a post-election all-staff call.

“There was a noticeable dissonance,” said one anonymous staffer. “The message was, ‘We’ll get them next time,’ but that didn’t match the reality of the situation.”

A Biden staffer countered the argument about Biden’s timing, pointing out, “How did you spend $1 billion and not win?” Some Democrats argued Harris’s campaign mishandled key opportunities, with one saying, “She let the GOP define her.” Others noted Harris’s decision to stay out of the public eye after the convention, while Trump engaged in long interviews and outreach.

The campaign’s refusal to let Harris appear on a popular podcast, citing excessive demands, also drew criticism for alienating voters.