Pressed by Maddow to clarify her position on Mamdani, Harris stated, “He is the Democrat in the race and deserves support. I support the Democrat in this race, absolutely.” This endorsement—while avoiding Mamdani’s name—marked a pivotal moment, symbolizing both party discipline and Harris’ reluctance to fully embrace the democratic socialist left. The contrast with more enthusiastic endorsements from figures such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was palpable, reflecting deep ideological divides within the Democratic Party as it seeks to recover from its 2024 loss.
Harris has been unusually candid in both her new book and her recent interviews about her own regrets and perceived shortcomings during her historic but ultimately unsuccessful campaign to succeed President Joe Biden. In “107 Days,” she describes the private turmoil that followed defeat, the difficulty of navigating Biden’s late withdrawal from the race, and her anguish at feeling responsible for not challenging Biden’s decision to seek a second term—despite widespread public concern about his age and stamina.
For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
