Outgoing Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison believes the party made a mistake in replacing Joe Biden with Kamala Harris as its 2024 nominee, he said in an interview Friday.
Harrison wanted to "stick by" Biden even after the former president's disastrous debate performance last summer, he told the Associated Press. "My nature is, 'I'm on the team with you, you're my quarterback.'"
"That is not always the mentality of everybody in my party," however, Harrison said. "Sometimes, people look on the sidelines, ready to call in the backup."
Infighting and public finger-pointing gripped the Democratic Party after President Donald Trump's victory over Harris, who lost all seven swing states after taking over as Democratic nominee. Some Democrats have said Biden would have been a stronger candidate, while others, including powerful Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), argued that Harris might have performed better had Biden withdrawn from the race sooner.
Harrison acknowledged that an earlier exit by Biden would have given Harris "more runway" and made the campaign easier for her, but the departing leader insisted he was "a loyal guy" committed to "riding with Biden."
Harrison, who is stepping down after the party chooses his successor on Saturday, also urged his successor to not "just be a rubber stamp to whatever the campaign wants."
"I did not always have a seat at the table, was not always invited in the room," Harrison told the Associated Press. "People want to give you all the blame, but you don't have the power to make those decisions, and I really think there needs to be reapportionment of a better, a greater balance."