For Black Democrats, Kamala Harris’ defeat to Trump is personal

“We’re bent and we’re hurt, but we’re gonna pick ourselves up, and we’re gonna continue our work,” U.S. Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett told theGrio.

Democrats are still working through the stages of grief after Kamala Harris’ stunning defeat to Donald Trump. Based on conversations theGrio had with elected officials, staff and strategists, Black Democrats, in particular, are struggling to grapple with Harris falling short of making history as the nation’s first female and Black woman president.

U.S. Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands fought back tears during a phone interview with theGrio as she reflected on not just Harris’ defeat but the implications her loss will have on the Democratic Party coalition: Black and brown communities, women — namely Black women — and LGBTQ+ Americans.

“They were willing to put it all out on the line,” Plaskett said of vulnerable communities who mobilized to elect Harris, including some white allies. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough to send Kamala Harris to the White House in 2025.

Though many are feeling hopeless and terrified by the prospect a second Trump administration, Plaskett had a direct message for those voters, especially Black women – 91% of whom cast their ballot for Harris.

“I want those groups to know – women like myself, Black women, LGBTQ, young people – we’re bent and we’re hurt, but we’re gonna pick ourselves up, and we’re gonna continue our work,” the congresswoman told theGrio. 

Since the election was called, Democrats have engaged in the blame game, trying to understand not just Harris’ loss, but more importantly, Trump’s growing share of support in the voting electorate, including from white women, Latino men – and to a small degree Black men – who they feel voted against their own interests.

Democratic strategist Joel Payne told theGrio it’s “disturbing” that despite Trump “elevating” his racist, anti-immigrant, white nationalist rhetoric, he “only grew his vote share.”

“People decided to get behind someone who at least was comfortable saying that, and that has clearly sent a signal to his supporters that that is not only OK, but somewhat accepted,” explained Payne, who worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. 

As Trump returns to the White House, Payne warned that there will be a “very heightened level of concern for vulnerable communities, especially Black folks.”

Plaskett, who served alongside Harris in the Congressional Black Caucus, said she believes part of Harris’ loss was a result of her identity as a woman and person of color. When President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, the congresswoman recalled telling others, “I trust us Black women, but I’m not entirely clear about what white men and white women are going to do.”

After the election results confirmed her suspicions, she added, “That’s very hurtful.”

“Race and gender played a significant role, no question about that. It always does,” U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., told theGrio.

“This is the second time Democrats have taken that leap when it comes to gender,” said the 84-year-old congressman, referring to Harris and Clinton. “In both instances, both of these women lost to the most misogynistic person to ever run for president.”

In addition to the expected hurdles of winning over white voters because of Harris’ identity as a Black and South Asian woman, Clyburn, a close confidant of Biden, said he was particularly concerned about Black men.

Though former President Barack Obama and others were heavily criticized for suggesting some Black men would not vote for Harris because she’s a woman (78% of Black men voted for Harris, according to an exit poll), Clyburn said he and other Democrats saw early signs of some defections among the party’s second-most-loyal voting bloc.

“[There was a] strong feeling that was developing among African-American males about … the Black woman being the backbone [of the party] … Black men were insulted by that,” said Clyburn.

The South Carolina lawmaker said he warned the then-Biden campaign earlier this year before it emerged as a national concern; however, he claimed the campaign ignored his pleas. He told theGrio, “I decided to stop offering advice because every bit of advice seemed to be interpreted as a criticism.”

Congresswoman Plaskett said given the white vote, and the sliver of Black and brown voters who joined them, she doesn’t believe “we have aligned interest in this country.” She added, “To be able to defeat Donald Trump and white privilege, we need to recognize that.”

Though it’s been argued that Harris lost the election because Trump won over voters with his economic and immigration message, Democrats aren’t quite buying it. While they admit the now-president-elect won the war of information and messaging, they believe it only tells part of the story. 

In their view, Harris had a more comprehensive economic plan (backed up by data) that was proven to expand the economy. Democrats also said Trump clearly encouraged Republicans to create chaos around the issue rather than work with Democrats to pass already proposed legislation to address the border and the nation’s broken immigration system. 

Plaskett said despite Harris being a “perfect candidate” and running a “flawless campaign against a convicted felon, twice-impeached, poorly disciplined individual who has said that he’s going to do horrendous things to people,” voters decided they were “OK with that.”

No matter the reason, Payne said he is concerned the 2024 election results could lead to the “potential marginalization of already marginalized groups,” like Black voters, Arab American voters and Latino voters.

“I’m concerned that those groups that already are marginalized … are maybe being judged or essentially blamed in mass for an electoral outcome that is less targeted and it’s more systemic,” he continued. 

Some have even blamed President Biden, which Black Democrats who spoke to theGrio categorically rejected. 

“I would just borrow words from the modern day hip-hop philosopher, Jay-Z, and remind folks that nobody wins when the family feuds,” said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist who advises national campaigns. 

“Joe Biden is the one that helped Kamala Harris be positioned to be top of mind in our party,” said Seawright, “as his running mate, as vice president, and as a willing and able dance floor partner on the policy and political dance floor these past four years.”

As they look ahead to midterm elections in 2026 and the presidential contest in 2028, Democrats still see Harris as a viable leader for the party.

Congressman Clyburn said he hopes Harris “turns this stumbling block into stepping stones and lay out the vision for that.” 

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“I see no reason why Kamala Harris doesn’t have a place in the future the Democratic Party,” said Payne, who noted the vice president was “put in an incredibly difficult situation,” including having only 100 days to build a national campaign, competing against Trump in the “attention economy,” raising money and bringing the Democratic coalition back together. 

“I think Kamala Harris has a lot to be proud of,” he declared. “You could have put a lot of Democrats in there – governors, senators, former candidates, so on, so forth – and  frankly, many of them would not have fared as well as she did.”

However, Payne also emphasized that Democrats must “cast a wide net to determine who of this future batch of leaders are best positioned to help the party reform itself a bit and help the party grow and evolve.”

The Democratic strategist noted that many Democrats “felt similarly crestfallen about the political future of the party” after John Kerry lost the 2004 election to President George W. Bush. 

“We did not know that Barack Obama was going to happen,” said Payne. 

As Democrats square up as the opposition party to Trump, which could include taking back the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives after the remaining races are called, Payne said, “We should be disappointed, because I think we know what a Trump presidency will mean, but I don’t think we should hang our head as if we’re helpless.” 

“We have power. We represent tens of millions of voters,” he argued. “Democrats were able to help be a very good-faith opposition to Donald Trump in 2016, 2017 and beyond, and I think we’re well positioned to do that again.”

Ultimately, said Seawright, “the American people have spoken.” He added, “They have given [Trump] essentially unchecked power. And so we just have to see what that actually means.”

Gerren Keith Gaynor is a White House Correspondent and the Managing Editor of Politics at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.

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