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Kamala Harris Campaign Advisor: If Democrats Had Open Primary Competition, It Would Have Upset Black Women

Kamala Harris Campaign Advisor: If Democrats Had Open Primary Competition, It Would Have Upset Black Women

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Photo: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the International Conference of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, July 14, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Written by Ann Brown

Dec 10, 2024

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A campaign advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris, Quentin Fulks, recently sparked debate with remarks suggesting that an open Democratic primary would have upset Black women, a key voting bloc for the party. Fulks made the comments during a discussion about the Democratic National Committee’s decision to forgo a competitive primary for the 2024 presidential election.

President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, and Harris had just 107 days to campaign. Trump won with 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226 votes. She had 48.4 percent (74,946,837) of the votes; he had 49.9 percent (77,237,942 votes).

He said, “To open up a Democrat primary, you would have had Black women, be highly upset if it was not Kamala Harris. I hear your concern and I am not saying that primaries are not important.”

Black women are often referred to as the backbone of the Democratic Party, consistently turning out in high numbers to support Democratic candidates. In fact, many in the party see Vice President Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman to hold the office, as a symbolic representation of this voting bloc.

The Democratic National Committee’s decision not to hold an open primary has been called out by many on both sides as undemocratic. Critics argue that the lack of competition stifles debate and limits voter choice.

The decision to avoid an open primary could have significant implications for the Democratic Party’s unity and strategy heading into the 2024 election. While the move may secure the loyalty of Black women voters and other key constituencies, it risks alienating progressives and moderates who feel sidelined by the party’s leadership.

In response to Fulks’ remarks, political commentator Torraine Walker posted on X, “Y’all, check out this thread. Everything I said was happening behind the curtain at the DNC is here. The Democrat Establishment lost an election because of vibes and pandering.”