Democrat recalls Kamala Harris dismissing him at Christmas gathering: 'Eye roll'

A House Democrat from a red district recounted an uncomfortable meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris, where Harris appeared to dismiss the congresswoman's concerns about her district.

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., who represents a rural district in a GOP-leaning state with a Democratic member, shared her thoughts on Kamala Harris' 2024 campaign in a new interview. Perez recounted Harris dismissing her concerns about plastic decorations at a Christmas party instead of using real wood.

When Harris first came out, I was open to talking with her," she told the New York Times. "I know she called a lot of my colleagues; she never called me. I’ve had one interaction with Harris, at her Naval Observatory Christmas party.

"I am not comfortable with that kind of thing. After having a few beers, I observed that most of the garlands were plastic. My district produces a significant amount of Christmas trees. I was forced to take a picture. I said, "Madam Vice President, we grow those in my hometown." She simply walked away from me. There may have been an eye roll. I believed that people valued the cultural significance of farmers in my area. I felt that she did not comprehend my message."

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out to a Harris spokesperson for comment.

Harris is falling behind Perez in the polls and has criticized national Democrats for ignoring the concerns of her district, including the fentanyl crisis and high food costs.

"According to the New York Times, people are using their credit cards to purchase groceries, and no one is paying attention to anything else you say if you try to persuade them otherwise based on data from economists."

Despite the 2020 election results, Washington is the only state in the country to move leftward. Harris improved on Biden's 19.2-percent victory over Trump by a small margin. However, Tuesday was a grim night for the vice president and Democrats nationally, as they lost the Senate and will likely remain in the House minority.

The Times reported that Perez was uncertain if Democrats could regain power after being rejected by voters. A significant theme in recent elections and the past decade has been the departure of working-class voters who traditionally backed Democrats.

"Instead of blaming and demonizing others, it's easier to look inward and see what we can do. Feeling accountable can be uncomfortable and requires mental flexibility, which can be painful," Perez said. "Who knows?"

In the 2024 election, Trump made significant improvements from his 2020 performance, winning back key swing states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. He also showed promising results with voters across various racial, age, and socioeconomic demographics.

Since George W. Bush in 2004, he is likely to be the first Republican to secure the popular vote in a presidential race and win Nevada.