Is Kamala Harris Blowing It With Independents?

For starters, Kamala failed to secure the endorsement of the Teamsters Union after a survey of rank-and-file members found that they support Trump by a two-to-one margin. Her failure to get their support has Democrats in a panic. To make things worse, Trump received the endorsement of Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Mich., the first U.S. city to have an all-Muslim city council, which could be extremely influential.

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What really has me feeling good is what's happening with independent voters. Last week, a Gallup survey found that Kamala has a net favorability of -25 points, with 60% of independents viewing her unfavorably and only 35% favorably. 

While Trump also has a negative rating with independents at -9 points, there's no denying that Kamala would much prefer his numbers over her dismal -25. Before that, an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showed a 14-point swing toward Donald Trump among independent voters. That shift is clear.

There's a reason that Harris is calling for another debate. She sees that as her last opportunity to change her diminished standing with independents. And what she's doing right now isn't working.

For one thing, she has pledged to eliminate the legislative filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law.

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"It is well within our reach to hold on to the majority in the Senate and take black [sic] the House," she said this week. "I've been very clear. I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe and we need... and get us to the point where we — 51 votes would be what we need to actually put back in the law, the protections for reproductive freedom. and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government, tell them what to do."

Vice President Harris: I've been very clear. I think we should eliminate the filibuster to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade pic.twitter.com/jWILmuziAa

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 24, 2024

This statement endorsing the elimination of the filibuster cost her an endorsement from Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.)

“Shame on her,” Manchin said Tuesday in the Capitol. “She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.”

“That ain’t going to happen,” he continued. “I think that basically can destroy our country, and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person’s ideology. … I think it’s the most horrible thing.”

This is a big deal because Manchin signaled last week that he might endorse her.

“Oh, I could see that, yes,” he told CNN. 

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) also blasted Harris for supporting eliminating the filibuster.