**Washington, DC** – Vice President Kamala Harris is set to attend the Democratic National Convention next week, buoyed by endorsements from several major progressive organizations, signaling the unity she has fostered within the party.
This marks a notable shift for Harris, who has not always enjoyed a close relationship with the progressive faction of the Democratic Party. However, many progressives now view Harris’s candidacy in the 2024 presidential race as a crucial opportunity to steer the White House in a more left-leaning direction.
“Vice President Kamala Harris has a unique relationship with the progressive movement,” said William Walter, executive director of Our Wisconsin Revolution, a key organization in a battleground state committed to advancing progressive values.
Harris may not be the ideal candidate for progressives—having struggled to deliver the same authenticity and clear messaging as figures like Bernie Sanders—many recognize the critical stakes of the upcoming election. He noted that democracy itself is on the line this November, referencing the perceived threat posed by Harris’s Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump.
According to Walter, the immediate goal is to prevent Trump from regaining the presidency. “Once we achieve that, the real work begins,” he said. “That’s when we need to push the Democratic Party to evolve into the working-class-centered party it once was.”
### A "People-First" Presidency
Harris’s rapid ascent as the Democratic nominee has been anything but conventional. In late July, President Joe Biden unexpectedly withdrew from the presidential race, throwing his support behind Harris.
Previously seen as a centrist, Biden had been appealing to moderate voters in the months leading up to his exit. But once Harris assumed leadership of the Democratic ticket, her campaign took a decidedly populist turn.
For example, on Friday, Harris introduced an ambitious economic plan aimed at “lowering costs for American families.” The plan includes measures such as eliminating medical debt for many Americans and banning price gouging on groceries.
Her proposals also include subsidies for first-time homebuyers and a $6,000 tax credit for families with newborns to cover the first year of a child’s life. Additionally, Harris adopted Trump’s proposal to eliminate the federal tax on tips, a move that has garnered support from service industry workers. Her campaign has highlighted her own history of working at McDonald’s, underscoring her middle-class roots.
In her first campaign speech, Harris emphasized her populist vision, declaring, “Because we are a people-powered campaign, that is how you know we will have a people-first presidency.”
She has pledged to prioritize progressive goals such as affordable housing, expanded access to childcare, and paid family leave. Despite this, Harris has also moderated her stance on other issues, aiming to appeal to a broader range of voters.
For instance, during her initial run for the presidency in 2019, Harris supported Bernie Sanders’s Medicare for All legislation, which proposed a single-payer system that would eliminate private insurance. However, her position on healthcare has since shifted.
### Harris's Record as a Prosecutor
Harris’s background in criminal justice remains a point of contention with some progressives. On the campaign trail, she has leaned into her experience as the district attorney of San Francisco and as California’s attorney general, the state’s top law enforcement position.
She argues that her prosecutorial background equips her to effectively challenge Trump, who faces 34 felony convictions.
