Harris stays quiet on student loans as cancellation loses its political luster
Collin Brinkley and Alia Wong
October 27, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — At a campaign rally in April, President Joe Biden told a Wisconsin crowd about his latest “life-changing” plan for student loan cancellation, promising financial relief for more than 30 million Americans.
But Kamala Harris has steered clear of the issue at her political events since replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee for president. The vice president’s platform mentions it just twice, and with no specific plan. As she courts moderate voters, Harris has focused on policies targeting Americans without a college degree.
“For far too long, our nation has encouraged only one path to success: a four-year college degree,” Harris said in September in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. “Our nation needs to recognize the value of other paths.”
In the span of just a few years, student loan cancellation has gone from a pillar of the Democratic Party to a political liability. Once seen as a sure-fire way to energize young voters, the issue has now become a bludgeon wielded by Republicans who say it heaps advantage on elites and comes at the expense of those who repaid their loans or did not attend college.
