Pollster Frank Luntz told Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a Wednesday podcast that former Vice President Kamala Harris had only herself to blame for losing the 2024 election to President Donald Trump.
Among registered voters who watched the Sept. 10 Harris-Trump debate, 63% thought the former vice president won the face-off, according to a CNN flash poll that surveyed 605 registered voters. Luntz argued on “This Is Gavin Newsom” that Harris should have won the 2024 election based on her debate performance and the exorbitant funds in support of her candidacy, but said she made critical errors that cost her. (RELATED: Harris Asked How She Will Make Life Affordable, Immediately Pivots To Word Salad About Middle Class Upbringing, Lawns)
WATCH:
“On that [debate] night she won the election. Why did Trump win by such a big margin? It wasn’t even — for modern days, it wasn’t that close. Why did he win Michigan and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin … and Arizona,” Luntz told Newsom. “He won them because people thought he said what he meant and meant what he said. And while they didn’t like how he articulated it, which is exactly what’s happening right now, they wanted that agenda.”
Trump secured all seven swing states and won the national popular vote by millions, according to the Cook Political Report.
“Why did she lose when she had the election? She had more money than God, had an amazing debate performance that everyone saw,” Luntz said. “There was never another debate. She’d gone into the lead there.”
Harris gained 1% after the debate, reaching 51% support from registered voters compared to Trump’s 47% among registered voters, ABC News/Ipsos data published Sept. 15 showed.
“Why did she lose? She lost because of herself. In the end, it’s not just what’s going on around you,” Luntz added. “You have to tell people what you are for. You have to tell them what you will do and you have to be able to show that you can get it done.”
The pollster particularly noted how former President Joe Biden appointed Harris to address the illegal migrant crisis in 2021, saying she distanced herself from the role during her campaign.
“I remember what a big deal it was when she was made the immigration czar. I was around. I saw this. And then during the campaign, she tries to run away from it. ‘Oh, I wasn’t important. I had nothing to do.’ Own it,” Luntz said. “Be sincere with people. Let them see you. Acknowledge, as I’m doing right here, right now, I got that election wrong. I knew Trump was going to win two weeks before, but I knew he was going to lose after that debate because no one had ever recovered from such a bad debate performance.”
“Governor, the public deserves the truth. The public deserves candor. They have the right to know when we got it wrong,” he continued. “And if you can’t admit you got it wrong, then you probably don’t deserve to have your position. And they need to know what you’re going to do so you don’t get it wrong in the future.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
