Another slate of Democratic candidates running in the midterm elections has rejected former Vice President Kamala Harris’ endorsement, underscoring the toxic brand her failed presidential campaign has left behind in key battleground states.
Iowa Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek on Wednesday flatly rejected the idea of Harris campaigning for him.
A reporter pressed the Senate hopeful at a Cedar Rapids event about whether he would welcome the former vice president — and one of the Democratic Party’s top leaders — onto the campaign trail.
“No,” the state representative firmly said.
Turek, a state representative and two-time Paralympic gold medalist, is challenging Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst. Polls show a competitive race in a state Trump won by double digits in 2024.
Another Iowa Democrat, gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, also rejected the idea of embracing Harris on the stump and even shot down the idea of her running for president again in 2028.
“No thanks. Let’s move on,” Sand told Politico. “We need some new leadership.” He also brushed off the idea of seeking former President Biden’s support. “No. Can he even do that right now?” Sand asked.
Sand, Iowa’s current state auditor and the most recent Democrat elected to statewide office, is running against Iowa farmer and businessman Zach Lahn, who narrowly defeated Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra to win the Republican nomination for governor in June.
The strategy of sidelining national Democrats is not limited to Iowa, as the Democratic Party’s brand remains deeply unpopular with voters nationwide.
Former Rep. Mary Peltola’s (D-AK) Senate campaign made clear earlier this month that it wants nothing to do with Harris’s message of support.
Harris’s Fight for the People PAC sent an email urging supporters to “stand behind Mary,” The New York Times reported. The PAC called the Alaska contest a “must-win race” for Democrats seeking to retake the Senate, declaring, “If there’s anyone who can flip Alaska and secure the Senate majority for Democrats — it’s Mary.”
The message directed donors to a page asking them to split their contributions between Peltola’s campaign and Harris’s political committee. Peltola’s team quickly pushed back, saying the campaign had not authorized the email and had no knowledge of it before it was sent.
“Mary isn’t seeking endorsements from anyone from the Lower 48 — her focus is and always will be Alaska,” the statement read, citing support she has received from several Alaska labor groups.
Peltola, a former congresswoman, is running against incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK). In a state Trump won by 13 points, early polling shows a tight race with Peltola holding a two-point advantage, according to RealClearPolitics. The Daily Wire previously reported how the presence of two Dan Sullivans is confusing voters and complicating a race that could determine control of the Senate.
Republicans moved fast to connect the two. Nick Puglia, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Peltola had worked “hand in hand with Kamala Harris to put Alaska last, so it’s no surprise that Harris is backing Peltola.”
