Kamala Harris is belatedly courting progressives. Is it too little, too late? | Arwa Mahdawi

As she mulls another presidential run, the former VP is building bridges with progressive and Arab American leaders

Does Donald Trump secretly want Republicans to get annihilated in the midterms? Because he’s certainly acting that way. He continues to brush off concerns about the cost of living, saying last week that high gas prices are a very “inexpensive price to pay” for the war on Iran.

And, of course, the president seems to have no plans to end that disastrous war, apart from making vague threats about blowing the entire country up. Trust me, he keeps saying, everything will get better after the midterms. But by the looks of his dismal polling numbers, not many people are swallowing his empty promises anymore.

Still, despite the mess the Republicans have made of the country, I wouldn’t feel too optimistic about the Democrats returning to power: the party is famous for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Instead of evolving, it has a tendency to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

See, for example, the fact that there are once again loud murmurings that Kamala Harris plans to run for president in 2028. The former vice-president hasn’t made any sort of official announcement yet – she told voters in Detroit this week that she’s still deciding what to do – but she seems to be testing the political waters through midterm campaigning.