How ambiguity on healthcare may have cost Kamala Harris in the 2020 Democratic primary

For many political candidates, ambiguity can be a way to appeal to a larger number of voters. During the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, it was suggested that now Vice President, Kamala Harris, had been ambiguous on her stance on private healthcare insurance. In new research using survey data, Elizabeth N. Simas investigates whether this ambiguity affected Harris’ popularity. She finds that Harris’ ambiguity may have actually increased the favorability of other candidates such as Senator Elizabeth Warren among voters who are more accepting of risk and who prefer government-run insurance.