5 findings in DNC's post-election autopsy report: Harris' 'messaging misalignment'

The Democratic National Committee released its autopsy report about the failed Kamala Harris presidential campaign a year-and-a-half after the Democrats’ installed candidate lost to President Donald Trump. Here are five revelations in the report. 

Spanning nearly 200 pages, the report contrasts the unsuccessful campaign of then-Vice President Harris with both successful and unsuccessful Democratic candidates who ran for other offices in 2024 and outlines a path forward to ensure Democrat victories in future elections. 

The report's release comes after the party enjoyed success in last year’s off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia and is seeking to regain control of both chambers of Congress in this year’s midterm elections.

In a statement released last Thursday, DNC Chairman Ken Martin noted that he commissioned a “comprehensive review of the 2024 election” only to decide to “shelve” the report late last year after determining that “it wasn’t ready for primetime.” 

“In short, I didn’t want to create a distraction,” Martin said. “Ironically, in doing so, I ended up creating an even bigger distraction. And for that I sincerely apologize.”

“I am not proud of this product; it does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards. I don’t endorse what’s in this report, or what’s left out of it. I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on it. But transparency is paramount. So, today I am releasing the report as I received it — in its entirety, unedited and unabridged — with annotations for claims that couldn’t be verified,” he added. 

Here are five findings from the report.