Moderate Democrats are gearing up for a potential battle over staffing positions in a Harris administration if Vice President Kamala Harris emerges victorious in the upcoming election. They are aiming to secure a larger role in key White House and agency positions, a move that could set them against progressives who are pushing for the continuation of President Joe Biden’s efforts to reshape economic policies on trade, labor, and antitrust enforcement. Centrist group Third Way is organizing lists of potential staffers for a Harris transition, learning from their past mistakes in 2021 when progressives were successful in winning personnel battles.
The push by moderates for greater influence is driven by a desire to avoid a return to the pre-Biden era policies and to ensure that their more business-friendly positions are represented in a potential Harris administration. Progressives, on the other hand, aim to expand on the economic policy changes initiated under the Biden administration, with a focus on protecting workers, consumers, and challenging corporate power. Harris has remained silent on post-election intentions, leaving the staffing issue up in the air for both ideological factions to contend over.
The tensions between moderates and progressives stem from the shifts in economic policy that marked Biden’s presidency, deviating from the consensus of past administrations to prioritize full employment, industrial policy, and vigorous antitrust enforcement. Progressive influencers like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders played key roles in placing economic policy wonks in positions of power within the administration, leading to a period of increased regulatory efforts and policy changes targeting corporate power.
The looming battle for staffing positions in a potential Harris administration has pitted prominent figures like FTC Chair Lina Khan against billionaire donors and business interests seeking a return to more business-friendly policies. Progressive groups are mobilizing to defend figures like Khan from potential ousting, while moderates are eyeing potential appointments like Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo with caution due to her business-friendly reputation. The dynamics within the Democratic coalition and Harris’s own alliances with business interests have further complicated the staffing debate.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding potential staffing choices in a Harris administration, the changes instigated by Biden’s economic policy shifts have set the stage for a more contentious and ideologically charged battle over personnel. Progressives are wary of losing ground in a potential Harris administration and view the influence of business-aligned groups within the Democratic coalition as a challenge. The outcomes of this personnel fight will likely shape the direction of economic policy under a Harris presidency and determine the balance of power between moderate and progressive factions.
The personnel battles ahead reflect a broader struggle within the Democratic Party to define its economic policy agenda and the role of government in addressing systemic issues. Harris’s close ties to organized labor, support for public investment in strategic industries, and alignment with key progressive policy priorities signal a continuation of some aspects of the Biden administration’s agenda. However, the influence of business interests and the internal dynamics of the Democratic coalition will likely shape the staffing decisions and economic policy direction of a potential Harris administration.
