Inside the DNC’s Missing 2024 Campaign Autopsy: What Really Went Wrong

Photo illustration by The Bulwark / Photos: Shutterstock

What Is the DNC Autopsy—and Why Wasn’t It Released?

You’ve likely heard about the Democratic National Committee’s “autopsy”—a post-election report commissioned in 2025 to examine the failures of the 2024 presidential campaign. What you may not know is that it was never made public.

This has sparked concerns among Democrats about the lack of transparency regarding what went wrong and what lessons could have been learned. However, a small group of insiders has gained insight into the report’s contents. I am one of them.

As deputy campaign manager for Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign (and previously for Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign), my role focused on digital strategy, social media, paid media, fundraising, and rapid response. I was among the few campaign staffers the autopsy team consulted—a rare opportunity that highlights the report’s limitations.

Why the DNC’s Autopsy Never Materialized

I did not see the final autopsy report. The team initially planned to release it after the November 2024 off-year elections. They first contacted former campaign staffers in late September 2025, and I spoke with them in mid-October. The delay seemed unusual, but I participated for two key reasons:

• Learning from the past: Analyzing campaign performance is essential for improving future strategies.
• Digital missteps: Campaigns often overlook or misunderstand digital operations, making expert input critical.

Yet, the autopsy never materialized. News coverage has speculated on why the DNC shelved it. Based on insider accounts, the reality is more mundane—and disappointing: there was no actual autopsy.

The so-called “autopsy team” struggled to compile a cohesive report. What they produced was a loose collection of interview summaries, largely based on conversations with individuals outside the campaign and major donors. The process lacked depth and failed to engage key stakeholders.

What a Real Autopsy of the 2024 Campaign Might Have Revealed

Reflecting on my experience with the Biden 2020 campaign (a victory) and the Biden→Harris 2024 campaign (a loss), I’ve identified critical takeaways. Results alone do not dictate the lessons a campaign can offer. We made mistakes in 2020 and improvements in 2024—but the 2024 effort, while solid, was not exceptional. We were trapped in a losing position from which we could not recover.

Data shows that the average shift toward Trump in competitive states was significantly lower than in non-competitive ones. This suggests that while our campaign executed well in key areas, external factors—such as voter sentiment and structural challenges—played a decisive role.

Without a thorough autopsy, Democrats risk repeating the same errors. The 2024 campaign was good, not great, and understanding why is crucial for future success.