A new book detailing the behind-the-scenes drama of the 2024 U.S. presidential election reveals that Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate and former Vice President, was completely stunned by her defeat to Donald Trump.
According to FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, co-authored by The Hill reporter Amy Franz, Harris was fully convinced that victory was within reach. Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was reportedly so shocked on election night that he sat in complete silence, unable to speak.
In an interview on the podcast Somebody’s Gotta Win with Tara Palmeri, Franz described how Harris repeatedly questioned the results, asking her team: “Are you sure? Did we do a recount? Maybe we should do a recount?” — unable to accept the reality of her loss.
“They really thought they were going to win,” Franz said. “So when people now say, ‘Oh, we knew it was a long shot’ — that’s just not true. They genuinely believed they were on the path to victory.”