(Rightallegiance.com) – In a startling exposé, former staffers from the now-defunct Harris presidential campaign have accused its leadership of “mistreatment” and “outright racial discrimination.” The allegations, detailed in a recent New York Times report titled “How Alarmed Harris Staffers Went Rogue to Reach Black and Latino Voters,” paint a troubling picture of internal strife, alleged negligence, and racial disparities during the campaign’s efforts to reach voters of color.
The report highlights a covert initiative led by frustrated campaign staffers who bypassed directives from leadership to address what they saw as a glaring neglect of Black and Latino voters in Philadelphia. According to the Times, these staffers took independent actions after feeling that the campaign was ignoring the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
“Many staff members felt that Philadelphia’s racially diverse neighborhoods were ignored,” the report states, with Black campaign staff and political operatives alleging that leadership dismissed warnings about Democrats potentially alienating their core voter base. This tension escalated as the campaign approached Election Day, with over 30 staffers expressing their frustrations to the Times.
Among the accusations are claims that the campaign failed to adequately hire people of color or engage Black- or Latino-owned consulting firms. Staffers reported that campaign offices in predominantly Black neighborhoods were relocated to upscale areas, creating logistical barriers for local outreach. Some offices were described as “filthy” and lacking basic supplies, including chairs, cleaning products, and printers.
Internal surveys conducted by the campaign reportedly corroborated these frustrations. According to the Times, the survey revealed that Black staffers felt their concerns and ideas were ignored at significantly higher rates than their colleagues. “Some complained of outright racial discrimination,” the article notes, adding that campaign leadership was made aware of these findings but did not take sufficient corrective action.
After the campaign’s loss, Black staffers convened a call with political strategist Angela Rye to discuss career prospects. The conversation quickly turned into an airing of grievances about how the campaign had treated its employees and how poorly resourced its field operations were in battleground states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Michigan. A recording of the call obtained by the Times captures their anger and dismay.
Quentin James, founder of the Collective PAC, disclosed that staffers had reached out to him in desperation during the campaign’s final weeks, lamenting the lack of funding to support volunteers with essentials like food and water.
Further controversy surrounds comments attributed to Quentin Fulks, the campaign’s principal deputy manager. On a post-election call, Fulks allegedly warned staffers against speaking to the media, claiming it could harm their future career prospects. However, campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt denied that Fulks used intimidating language, stating instead that he advised staffers to avoid making impulsive comments that might reflect poorly on themselves or the vice president.
While some operatives blame inadequate voter outreach, others believe the messaging itself failed to resonate with key demographics. Kellan White, a senior adviser to the Harris campaign in Pennsylvania, acknowledged the campaign’s efforts in Philadelphia but noted a disconnect between voters and the campaign’s message. “The issue is not that we didn’t knock on these doors — we knocked on a ton of doors,” White told the Times. “The problem was that the message itself didn’t connect.”
This disconnect was evident in the results. Harris underperformed in Philadelphia compared to President Biden’s 2020 performance, netting over 30,000 fewer votes. Meanwhile, Donald Trump made gains among Black and Latino voters in Pennsylvania, ultimately flipping the state and securing his presidency.
The allegations have reignited conversations about the Democratic Party’s approach to voter outreach and representation within its ranks. Many staffers and operatives stress the need for a deeper understanding of how to authentically engage with communities of color to prevent similar shortcomings in future campaigns.