The 2024 presidential election was expected to be highly competitive, according to numerous polls. But President Donald Trump secured a decisive victory, securing 312 electoral votes and the popular vote.
According to a new bombshell book, former Vice President Kamala Harris — who became the Democratic nominee after former President Joe Biden withdrew from the race — was “completely shocked” by the loss.
In a new book released on April 1, authors Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes detail their reporting on the Harris campaign, Biden’s 2024 campaign, and his decision to exit the race. Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House was written by Parnes and Allen, both of whom are journalists.
The authors recently spoke with journalist Tara Palmeri on her podcast Somebody’s Gotta Win for a new episode, Newsweek reported.
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, were reportedly in disbelief after her decisive loss to Trump, despite polls showing a toss-up race, the authors said.
At one point, Harris reportedly questioned the election results.
“We take you inside his hotel room at the Mayflower, and he’s sitting there stunned. He has no words,” Parnes said on the podcast. “And people are kind of explaining to him, same thing with her. And she’s like, ‘are you sure? Have we done a recount? Should we do a recount?’ ”
She added: “They thought that they were going to win… when they come back now and say, ‘Oh no, we didn’t really have a chance.’ No, that’s not what they were thinking. They thought they were going to win.”
Parnes said Harris’ staffers felt “gaslit” by the campaign leadership, according to Newsweek. She added that Harris and her team were relying heavily on “vibes” to gauge voter sentiment.
According to The Guardian’s review of the book, the authors’ message is unmistakably clear: Biden’s reelection campaign and his selection of Harris were viewed as a mistake.
The book also claims former President Barack Obama never had much faith in either Harris or Biden, though for different reasons.
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The former vice president has not officially announced any plans to run for office again, including a bid for governor.
However, some media reported Harris is considering a run to become California’s next governor in 2026, which would replace Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
According to a Newsweek report, polling shows she would also be a front-runner for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2028.
Since the 2024 presidential election loss, Harris has remained relatively active on social media, sharing videos of her public speeches at various events and posting messages of hope—some with indirect references to Trump.
Her speeches and posts have emphasized themes of hope and democracy, often indirectly contrasting with Trump, though not always by name.
She also received the NAACP Chairman’s Award in 2025, delivering an inspirational speech that addressed the uncertainty facing the nation under the new administration.
According to Vanity Fair, Harris is working on a longer, more comprehensive speech that will confront what one associate described as “the chaotic moment the country is enduring,” with plans to deliver it in the coming months.
Harris is also writing a book. Both projects are expected to fuel further speculation about her future—already a topic of considerable debate within her own circle.
She also made a surprise appearance at a women’s leadership conference in California. Her tone was largely somber, with one notable exception.
“There were many things that we knew would happen,” she said. “I’m not here to say I told you so! I swore I wasn’t gonna say that!”
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