Kamala Harris Didn’t Lose the 2024 Election— White Women Did

Kamala Harris didn’t lose this election. No, the real loss belongs to white women, the demographic that somehow manages to remain elusive and mysterious, even to themselves, every election cycle. We’ve heard every excuse in the book about why Kamala Harris and the Democratic ticket “didn’t connect” with certain voters, why their message just didn’t land, and why “she’s just not likable.” So, in response, the majority of voters, the majority of white women, voted for a white male felon with multiple bankruptcies who, according to his agenda, Project 2025, couldn’t get a job in his own administration.

But let’s be clear: Harris had the experience, the skills, and the ability to lead. This wasn’t Kamala’s loss — it was a missed opportunity for white women, who, once again, voted against their own best interests and the progress they claim to champion to preserve the cold comfort and privilege of whiteness.

The Unbreakable Glass Ceiling — Built by White Women

Historically, white women have positioned themselves as allies in the fight for equality, feminism, and even anti-racism. Yet, when it’s time to translate those ideas into action, we see a trend of hesitation, backpedaling, and outright reversal. This election made it clear that the age-old ceiling above women in America is partly reinforced by the very demographic that claims to want it shattered. According to exit polls, nearly 55% of white women voted for Donald Trump, a man under criminal investigation and with a record of racial antagonism, over Harris, a seasoned public servant, an accomplished leader, and a clean criminal and financial record.

When the time came to pick between a candidate who represents hope for a more inclusive future and a candidate who actively embodies a regressive past, white women didn’t exactly leap for progress. Instead, they clung to the status quo. Why? Because, consciously or not, they see a reflection of their privilege in that status quo — a privilege that lets them overlook bigotry as long as it doesn’t directly threaten their own slice of comfort.

Let’s Talk About “Likability”

If we’re going to wade through the “Kamala just isn’t likable” argument, let’s get one thing straight: likability is a subjective standard applied to women in ways it never is to men. Men can be gruff, authoritarian, and even outright abrasive yet still be considered “strong leaders.” On the other hand, women are expected to thread an impossibly narrow needle of being assertive but not too assertive, compassionate but not too soft. And if you’re a woman of color like Kamala Harris? Good luck finding the sweet spot between being “too ambitious” and “not ambitious enough.”

The truth is that “likability” is code. It’s a smokescreen for discomfort with powerful Black women who don’t fit the stereotype of the nurturing, agreeable caretaker. Kamala Harris isn’t “unlikable” — she is simply unwilling to shrink herself to fit a mold that makes people feel comfortable. I know. I’ve been there and done that. For too many white women, this is unacceptable.

White Women’s Loyalty to Whiteness Over Gender Solidarity

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: white women’s allegiance to white supremacy — whether consciously or unconsciously — often outweighs any sense of gender solidarity. Before you start accusing me of identity politics, don’t hate the player. Hate the game. All U.S. politics is identity politics. White people invented before the Republic after Bacon’s Rebellion led to the Black Codes. Plus, the data is hard to ignore. In 2016, 53% of white women voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton, and in 2020, nearly as many sided with him over the Biden-Harris ticket. And it’s not just about party lines; it’s about the willingness to uphold a power structure that privileges whiteness and maleness above all else.

White women may believe they’re committed to equality, but when the rubber meets the road, many choose the privilege they perceive they receive from whiteness over progress. Supporting Kamala Harris would have meant embracing a vision of America where white faces don’t monopolize power and leadership is genuinely diverse. And that’s a bridge too far for a demographic accustomed to wielding influence without sacrificing the comfort of their privilege.

So, Who’s The Real Loser Here?

This isn’t to say that Kamala Harris and the Democratic ticket were flawless. Politics is imperfect, and messaging, outreach, and campaign strategies can always be critiqued. But let’s not kid ourselves: Harris’s loss wasn’t about her policies or her personality. It was about a societal unwillingness to see a Black woman in the White House, and the bulk of that resistance came from the group that stands to gain the most from such a shift. White women had a chance to support real change and vote for a future that expands rather than contracts. They chose the latter.

With Harris’s loss, white women lost the opportunity to advance their own professed values. They lost the chance to see what true leadership by a woman of color could look like on the world’s biggest stage. They lost the chance to disrupt a narrative set in stone for far too long. More importantly, white women lost credibility with women of color. That is something they will miss.

Harris Needed Champions, Not Cheerleaders

For those who claim to champion progress, it’s time for a reckoning. White women need to ask themselves why they can read “Lean In” cover to cover yet fail to support the women who dare to lean in hardest. They need to examine how they can call themselves allies yet vote to uphold a system that keeps power concentrated in the hands of white men. They need to reflect on why “girl power” so often means white girl power.

Kamala Harris didn’t lose. She represented a new vision for America, one that white women were simply not ready for. This wasn’t a defeat of her skills, competency, or vision. It was a defeat of progress by the demographic claiming to want it most. If white women ever hope to shatter the glass ceiling, they’ll need to confront the reality that they are not cracking it — they are reinforcing it.

So no, Kamala Harris didn’t lose this election. White women did. And until they’re ready to face that truth, they’ll keep losing, stuck in a loop of contradictions and missed opportunities. Because, in the end, you can’t fight for change while clinging to comfort, and you can’t break barriers if you’re too afraid to let them fall.