Harris and Trump Neck-and-Neck in 2024 Race, Democrats Express Concern Over Media Strategy

Despite holding a slim lead in national polls, Vice President Kamala Harris faces criticism for her limited media engagement, raising concerns among Democrats about her ability to win over undecided voters in the 2024 election.

Democrats are voicing concerns over Vice President Kamala Harris's media strategy in the tight 2024 presidential race, urging her to ramp up her engagement with voters and the media. According to national polls, Harris is neck-and-neck with former President Trump, but her cautious approach to interviews and her perceived evasiveness in answering questions have raised eyebrows among media critics.

"Ms. Harris responded to the fairly basic and predictable questions with roundabout responses that did not provide a substantive answer," The New York Times reported after Harris' interview with MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle last month.

Harris and Trump Neck-and-Neck in 2024 Race, Democrats Express Concern Over Media Strategy

NBC News reports that some Democrats are worried that Harris' campaign strategy of avoiding the media will hinder her chances of winning over undecided voters who have yet to warm up to her. "They're trying to keep her away," Steve Shurtleff, former Democratic speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, told NBC News of the Harris campaign. "It's like seeing your favorite Hollywood actor, and then they're on a talk show and they can't even speak."

Other Democrats believe that the Harris campaign's approach of avoiding the media is a risky strategy in such a tight race. "The campaign is taking a chance that they can run out the clock and Trump’s weaknesses will be enough to win," Chris Kofinis, a Democratic strategist, told NBC. "But the danger in that is if you don’t define your own candidacy well enough, people will start defining it themselves."

Harris and Trump Neck-and-Neck in 2024 Race, Democrats Express Concern Over Media Strategy

"It’s been a mistake to shield Walz and Harris from interviews," a Democratic lawmaker also told NBC. "It’s like playing basketball — if you don’t play for weeks, you’re not going to get it into a game and do well. You’ve got to be on the court… I would have them out there very extensively."

Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement to NBC, "Our task for the final stretch of this campaign is ensuring that [Harris'] winning vision reaches the undecided voters who will decide this election in places and ways that will actually reach them. That may look different in today’s evolving media environment than prior campaigns, but coupled with campaign events, aggressive organizing and a historic paid media campaign, it’s a winning approach."

Harris and Trump Neck-and-Neck in 2024 Race, Democrats Express Concern Over Media Strategy

It remains uncertain whether this strategy will convince undecided voters to support Harris. The latest Fox News poll of voters in Pennsylvania shows that Harris retains a narrow edge over Trump among registered voters, but the race is tied among likely voters in the battleground state.

Despite her slim lead, Harris faces challenges in connecting with undecided voters and demonstrating her leadership abilities to the public. Her media strategy and her overall campaign approach will be key factors in determining her success in the upcoming election.