‘A unique relationship:’ How Kamala Harris courts the progressive left

Despite pledges to lead a ‘people-first presidency’, Harris has faced criticism from the far-left wing of the Democrats.

Washington, DC – Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to the Democratic National Convention next week on the tailwinds of endorsements from major progressive organisations — a nod to the party unity she has inspired.

But that marks a shift for Harris, who has not always enjoyed a cosy relationship with the progressive wing of her party.

Still, many progressives see Harris’s candidacy in the 2024 presidential race as an opportunity to chart a more leftward course for the White House.

“Vice President Kamala Harris has a unique relationship with the progressive movement,” said William Walter, the executive director of Our Wisconsin Revolution, a battleground state organisation that pledges to “stand for progressive principles”.

Walter told Al Jazeera that Harris is no progressive dreamboat: She has struggled to convey the same authenticity and clarity of message as progressive icons like Bernie Sanders.