Biden and Harris are mostly missing from the 2025 off-season, while other high-profile Democrats do the heavy lifting on the campaign trail in key races like New Jersey, Virginia and New York City; critics say their absence is a symptom of a damaged brand and a party trying to avoid re-associating with a leadership seen as toxic by many voters.
Top Democrats are visibly active in state and local contests even as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris keep a low profile. Veterans of the party and recent presidents are lending their names and faces to gubernatorial and mayoral hopefuls, trying to patch a narrative gap that seems hard to close. The contrast between who is campaigning and who is not is striking to voters and political pros alike.
Some insiders contend that a return to full-time campaigning by Biden or Harris would do more harm than good. “The one thing you could probably get progressives and moderates inside the Democratic Party to agree on is that the Biden/Harris administration did not score very high marks,” Julian Epstein said, reflecting a view that their stewardship left the party vulnerable. That sentiment helps explain why other Democrats are stepping forward instead of the former ticket.
Republicans are quick to make the political point that the party is distancing itself from policies they argue produced poor results. “Of course Democrats are running away from the disasters they created with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Representative Andy Barr said, arguing that economic and border issues remain potent criticisms. GOP operatives frame the absence as proof that even party loyalists see liability in the old leadership.
There are a handful of high-profile contests drawing national attention: the Virginia governorship, the New Jersey governor’s race, the New York City mayoral contest and a California ballot measure on redistricting. Each contest has become a testing ground for national narratives, with outside names traveling in to endorse or fundraise for local nominees. Those visits signal which figures the party still trusts to move the needle for voters.
Barack Obama and other senior Democrats have appeared in support roles, offering endorsements and prerecorded messages to boost candidates wrestling with tough local dynamics. Others, like former Cabinet members and governors, have shown up for fundraisers and rallies, leaving the former president and vice president notably absent from many campaign stops. That absence has been noticed and used by opponents.
Biden’s post-presidency schedule has been limited, especially after a disclosed health diagnosis that required a quieter public presence. He has, however, appeared at a recent awards event where he issued a sobering public warning: “Friends, I can’t sugarcoat any of this. These are dark days,” he said, adding that “our very democracy is at stake in my view.” Those words are being read differently across the political spectrum.
Harris has been promoting her memoir “107 Days” through a book tour, recounting the whirlwind of the 2024 campaign and the sudden transition when she became the top-ticket candidate. She has made some supportive remarks about local contenders, including New York City hopeful Zohran Mamdani, but has stopped short of broad campaign appearances or formal endorsement videos. That limited involvement is notable next to the full-court press being run by other national Democrats.
“This isn’t true at all. I would do more research and come back to me when you’ve got the facts sorted out,” a Harris spokesperson once replied when questioned about her level of involvement, underscoring a cautious message discipline. Harris also delivered a short prerecorded appeal aimed at young people that urged continued civic engagement: “Keep building your political power, keep building community, keep building coalitions, keep challenging the status quo,” she said to the camera. The tone is aspirational but it has not translated into a wide campaign presence.
Voices on the right are blunt in their assessment of the Democratic bench and brand. “The Democrat party is a sinking ship of a party and they’ll be the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean come the midterms,” Gen Z commentator Brilyn Hollyhand declared, blaming leftward drift for lost young-male voters. Another Republican critic argued the party has moved sharply left and that endorsements from socialist figures now matter most to its base.
The New Jersey, Virginia and New York City races have grown into surrogate battlegrounds where national themes about leadership, security and the economy are being tested. Candidates are trying to balance local appeals with national optics, while both parties watch closely for any signal that the broader electorate is shifting. For Democrats, the challenge is finding a coherent, electable message without re-exposing themselves to the baggage associated with their recent national ticket.
