In 2019, GovTrack had positioned Harris further left than Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
GovTrack Explains Reasoning Behind Retraction
GovTrack's founder stated that the decision to remove the rating was based on the insufficiency of single-year data to create a reliable portrayal of legislative activity.
“We determined that the limited data available in a single year was not sufficient to create a reliable portrait of the activity of legislators, particularly given the ebbs and flows of the legislative calendar, and therefore did not serve as a useful tool to our users and the American public,” the founder told The Post.
GovTrack has also taken down all previously published single-calendar-year statistics for the same reason.
Context of the 2019 Rating
At the time of the 2019 rating, Harris was two years into her Senate term and was considering a presidential bid.
During her tenure, Harris supported several progressive policies including Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, a ban on fracking, decriminalizing illegal border crossing, and restructuring ICE. However, she later adjusted some of these positions.
Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Dave McCormick, have frequently used Harris's 2019 rating in their political attacks.
Political Reactions to the Rating
At a rally in Charlotte, NC, Trump ridiculed Harris's position, claiming she was the most liberal politician in American history.
“Kamala Harris is the most liberal elected politician in American history. Did you know that? She’s an ultra-liberal politician. She’s absolutely terrible. She’s as you know more liberal than Bernie Sanders, can you believe it?” Trump stated.
Senator Bernie Sanders disagreed with Trump’s claim, suggesting it was another of Trump's falsehoods.
Reactions from Other Politicians
“Probably not. It’s just possible that for the 83,000th time that Trump is lying. No, I don’t think that is the case,” Sanders said to CNN.
Dave McCormick also weighed in, posting on X that “Bob Casey just endorsed the most liberal nominee in U.S. history.”
The Internet Archive’s capture from July 9 still showed the old rating, but the page now results in “Page Not Found.”
Implications for Harris and GovTrack
GovTrack's retraction highlights the challenges in using short-term data to evaluate political positions accurately.
As Harris becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee, her past positions and the narratives around them are likely to face renewed scrutiny.
GovTrack’s decision to remove the rating underscores the complexity of creating reliable legislative portraits, especially during an election cycle.
Conclusion
GovTrack has retracted its 2019 rating of Kamala Harris as the most liberal senator, citing the insufficiency of single-year data. This decision came shortly after President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, making Harris the presumptive Democratic nominee. The retraction has sparked reactions from both supporters and critics of Harris, with discussions about her political stance likely to continue as the 2024 election approaches.
