The 2024 election season will bring significant changes to the careers of either Vice President Kamala Harris or Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH). A review of their Senate voting records provides insight into their ideological leanings and agendas.
Harris, who represented California in the Senate from 2017 to 2021, has been criticized by Donald Trump and others for her liberal voting record. According to nonpartisan congressional tracker YouGov, Harris was rated the most liberal senator in 2019, the second-most liberal in 2020, and the fourth-most liberal in 2018. She was also ranked as the sixth-least likely senator to vote across party lines in 2019 and the 11th-least likely in 2017.
In contrast, Vance, who has been in the Senate since 2023, has shown a willingness to vote across party lines. His score on The Lugar Center’s McCourt School Bipartisan Index indicates that he is more likely to work with Democrats than Harris was. Vance has also received more moderate ratings from conservative grading organizations, such as Heritage Action for America and the American Conservative Union.
Harris’s voting record has been praised by left-leaning graders, including Americans for Democratic Action and Progressive Punch. However, she has received critical ratings from conservative organizations, such as Campaign for Working Families and the Eagle Forum.
Vance, on the other hand, has received high ratings from right-leaning organizations, such as Heritage Action for America and the Eagle Forum. However, he has received low ratings from liberal graders, such as Progressive Punch.
Both Harris and Vance have demonstrated a willingness to work across the aisle to pass legislation. Vance, for example, worked with Democratic senators to introduce the Railway Safety Act in 2023. Harris voted in favor of the 2018 First Step Act, which was introduced by a Republican representative and signed by former President Donald Trump.
If elevated to the presidency, Harris would have the power to sign or veto bills, as well as issue executive orders. Vance, if elected vice president, would have the ability to cast tiebreaking votes in the Senate. However, the outcome of the 2024 election and the balance of power in the Senate will determine the extent of their influence.
