Wednesday, Jul. 24, 2024
Was Kamala Harris once rated the most liberal US senator?
Vice President Kamala Harris was once ranked the most left-leaning U.S. senator, though the organization that did so has stopped rating lawmakers based on one year.
Wisconsin GOP chair Brian Schimming made the claim July 23, 2024.
In 2019, GovTrack.us, a nonpartisan Congress tracker, rated Harris, a California Democrat, the most liberal senator.
Its ideology score is based on whether senators sponsor or cosponsor bipartisan legislation.
In 2019, Harris cosponsored the failed Medicare for All bill, a national health insurance plan that would have covered all U.S. residents.
GovTrack told Wisconsin Watch it stopped doing single-year ratings and removed them from its website after determining a single year did not create a “reliable portrait.”
Harris supports positions backed by liberals, including: legislation that would protect the right to abortion nationally; the Biden administration’s efforts to fight climate change; gun control; LGBTQ+ rights; paid family leave; and forgiving student loan debt.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- GovTrack.us 2019 Report Cards, All Senators (archive)
- CNN Fact check: Is Kamala Harris the most liberal member of the Senate?
- Washington Post Is Kamala Harris really the most liberal senator, as Trump claims?
- Google Docs Brian Schimming-Kamala Harris fact-check
- GovTrack.us What bills has Democratic running mate Sen. Kamala Harris introduced?
- GovTrack.us 2020 Report Cards All Senators / Ideology Score
- US Congress S.1129 - Medicare for All Act of 2019
- US Congress S.1129 - Medicare for All Act of 2019 summary
- Govtrack 2019 Kamala Harris rating: Page Not Found
- Govtrack 2019 ratings: Page Not Found
- New York Times Where Kamala Harris Stands on the Issues: Abortion, Immigration and More
- Time Kamala Harris' Views on Abortion, the Economy, and More
- USA Today Where Harris stands on Israel, abortion, climate change, education and the economy
- Washington Post Where Kamala Harris stands on key issues
- Kamala Harris Campaign Event in Wisconsin with Vice President Kamala Harris
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