Is the Harris Campaign Too Online?

Vice President Kamala Harris is "brat," and her running mate Tim Walz says Republicans are "weird" and that Trump's vice presidential pick J.D. Vance needs to "get off the couch." What do these comments mean, and will they translate into votes?

For Context: When British pop singer Charli XCX tweeted "Kamala IS Brat," Harris embraced the album-inspired rebrand on her social media. In a viral interview clip, Walz called Republicans "weird," which may have played a part in his selection as Harris's VP pick. At their first campaign stop together, Walz made a joke about a viral meme stemming from a satirical tweet claiming J.D. Vance had sex with a couch. The Harris campaign's lean into internet culture has played well online, but is it resonating with voters?

From the Right: Noah Rothman (Lean Right bias) argued that the Harris campaign is too online, adding, "Worst of all, it could confirm what many suspect: that Walz’s very selection represented an effort to get right with the loudest elements of the progressive base, whose numbers pale disproportionately to the influence they wield on the internet."

From the Left: A contributor to The Conversation (Lean Left bias) said, "By leaning into the 'brat summer' brand and tapping into trending audios, Harris’s campaign is leveraging youth culture to position herself as a relevant and contemporary candidate for Gen Z...The very personality quirks that Republicans have tried to construe as baggage to take Harris down have emerged as one her greatest assets in connecting with younger voters."