Iowa Democrats running for statewide office are keeping their distance from former Vice President Kamala Harris, a sign of the broader identity crisis gripping the national party after its 2024 defeat.
Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand flatly rejected the prospect of campaign help from Harris or former President Joe Biden, telling Politico, “No thanks. Let's move on. We need some new leadership.”
Senate candidate Josh Turek gave a similarly blunt answer when asked whether he wanted Harris stumping for him: “No.”
The hesitation from Iowa's top Democratic ticket mirrors a national divide. Democrats running in competitive races are split over whether Harris helps or hurts their chances, according to The Hill. The split underscores a deeper struggle within the party over leadership and direction following Harris' 2024 presidential loss.
Why Iowa Democrats Are Pushing Harris Away
Iowa has trended reliably Republican in recent cycles. President Donald Trump carried the state comfortably in 2024, and Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats and three of four congressional districts.
For Democrats trying to win back ground in the Hawkeye State, tying themselves to the national party brand carries obvious risks. Harris remains the most visible face of that brand after her loss to Trump.
Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, Harris' former communications director, said the calculation depends heavily on geography.
“The VP did very well in some places and didn't do great in others, and if you're in a state where she didn't perform well, it may not help you to have her campaign with you this fall,” Simmons said. “Each candidate has a different problem they're trying to solve.”
Former Biden administration official Anthony Coley said Democrats competing in Republican-leaning territory must “distinguish themselves from a national Democratic brand that is deeply unpopular.”
“As the party's most recent presidential nominee, Kamala Harris is closely tied to that brand,” Coley said. “Harris still has a deep reservoir of goodwill among many Democrats. But this speaks to the tough political terrain outside blue states and to the work Harris must do to recast herself as a populist, antiestablishment fighter if she wants to run for president again and expand the electoral map.”
Some Democrats Still Embrace Harris
Not every Democrat is running from the former vice president. Sen. Jon Ossoff's Georgia campaign said, “Senator Ossoff is grateful for Vice President Harris' help and support in his re-election campaign.”
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan's campaign also welcomed the connection, saying Flanagan “was proud to campaign for Vice President Harris and appreciated her calling to congratulate her following her primary victory.”
Flanagan's campaign added that she “values her relationship with Vice President Harris and remains focused on the leadership Minnesotans are looking for a fighter who will take on the Trump administration and its reckless abuses of power.”
Democratic donor John Morgan was far less charitable, calling Harris “a huge liability” and saying anyone “who has a shot to win” would want to keep their distance.
“Look what happened in Alaska,” Morgan said, referring to Republican efforts to connect Senate candidate Mary Peltola with Harris after Harris' PAC raised money for her.
An unnamed Democratic strategist pointed to Harris' 2024 underperformance in key states.
“Look, the reality is, she underperformed in Michigan, particularly in places like Dearborn. And Elissa Slotkin was on the ballot and won. So that says a lot,” the strategist said. “I think you'd rather have surrogates who can help.”
Harris could still be welcome in friendlier territory, the strategist added, such as North Carolina's Research Triangle. “I could see her being welcome or at least not unwelcome.”
Harris' Rise Reflects Democrats' Shift on Representation
Harris' own path to the vice presidency reflected Democrats' increased emphasis on racial and gender representation in 2020. Biden publicly promised to select a woman as his running mate, while Black activists and Democratic leaders pressed him to choose a Black woman following the George Floyd protests.
Harris ultimately became the first female, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian descent elected vice president.
Socialist Wing Grows as Democrats Eye 2028
The split over Harris comes as Democrats confront a larger question over who will become the party's next national standard-bearer. Harris remains a potential 2028 contender, while the party's socialist wing has demonstrated increasing strength in major urban areas.
The Democratic Socialists of America openly advocates redirecting police funding as part of a path toward abolishing police and prisons and ending U.S. military and economic aid to Israel.
The DSA's growing influence gives Republicans potential lines of attack as Democrats compete for moderate and swing voters nationally.
Democratic strategist Maria Cardona cautioned against reading too much into candidates distancing themselves from Harris, calling it “so early for anyone to take any one little thing and try to read tea leaves into what that means for 2028.”
“What we all want here is for our candidates to win no matter where they are,” Cardona said. “And so I think that no one is going to be taking this personally.”
Georgia Democratic strategist Fred Hicks suggested another consideration may already be at play for 2028: “people do not want to be seen as taking a side in 2028.”
“It's not as much about the past as it is about the future.”
For Iowa Democrats like Sand and Turek, that future clearly does not include Kamala Harris on the campaign trail.