--- title: "Lindy Li claims secret polls showed Harris last in 2024 race" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/lindy-li-claims-secret-polls-showed-harris-last-in-2024-race" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/lindy-li-claims-secret-polls-showed-harris-last-in-2024-race" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/lindy-li-claims-secret-polls-showed-harris-last-in-2024-race.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/lindy-li-claims-secret-polls-showed-harris-last-in-2024-race" category: "Politics" published: "2026-09-17T13:45:50.725Z" source_reported: "2026-09-17T13:03:44.547Z" updated: "2026-09-17T13:45:50.725Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 68 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-17T13:30:35.131930+00:00" --- # Lindy Li claims secret polls showed Harris last in 2024 race *Former Democrat fundraiser releases claims in new book about internal party polling.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to a named individual, but no other corroborating sources or documents were cited. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. The report includes a quote from the source and mentions other potential candidates, but lacks direct quotes from the party. - Hype 68 of 100, lower is better. The headline uses loaded language like 'terrified' and 'secret polling' to create a sense of urgency and scandal. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Former Democrat fundraiser Lindy Li claims secret internal polls showed Kamala Harris performed last in potential 2024 presidential election matchups. - Li alleges the Democratic party ignored these findings, fearing backlash and accusations of racism if they bypassed Harris. - These claims are detailed in Li's new book, 'Unburdened', which discusses the search for a replacement after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race. - The internal poll results have not been publicly released. Lindy Li, a former Democrat fundraiser, has claimed that secret internal polling conducted by the Democratic party showed Kamala Harris performing poorly in potential matchups for the 2024 presidential election. Li stated that Harris came in last place in these polls, behind Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, and Gretchen Whitmer. She alleges that despite these findings, the party proceeded with Harris as a candidate due to a fear of being labelled racist and facing backlash from her online supporters. Li is releasing these claims in her new book, titled 'Unburdened'. According to Li, the internal polling was commissioned after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. She told Fox News Digital that the polling numbers contradicted the narrative the party wished to promote, but bypassing Harris was seen as a significant risk due to her base of support, particularly among Black women. Li described the internal polling as a 'well-kept open secret' among party members. ## Disputed claims The dailybs.com noted that the purported internal results have not been publicly released and that public polling at the time presented a different picture. None of the reports provided details on the methodology or specific numbers from the internal polls. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports mention any details about public polling that may have shown different results, as noted by thedailybs.com. Furthermore, no left- or centre-rated outlets covered Lindy Li's claims about the internal polling. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 100% (7) 0 of 7 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-17T13:30:35.131930+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-17T14:15:51.340Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right - Right-rated reports focused on Lindy Li's claims that secret internal polling showed Kamala Harris performing poorly in potential 2024 presidential election matchups. American Wire News and Bizpac Review highlighted Li's assertion that Harris came in last place, behind Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, and Gretchen Whitmer. These outlets also emphasised Li's statement that the Democratic party was 'terrified' of bypassing Harris due to fear of being labelled racist and facing backlash from her online supporters. American Wire News quoted Li directly, stating, 'No one wanted to be labeled as a racist.' The reports noted that these claims are detailed in Li's new book, 'Unburdened', and that the internal polling was conducted after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 2 - mixed: 5 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Bizpac Review](https://bizpacreview.com/2026/09/17/dem-insider-says-secret-polling-warned-about-kamala-harris-but-party-was-terrified-of-her-online-army-1659375) — Dem insider says secret polling warned about Kamala Harris — but party was ‘terrified’ of her online army - [American Wire News](https://americanwirenews.com/dem-insider-says-secret-polling-warned-about-kamala-harris-but-party-was-terrified-of-her-online-army) — Dem insider says secret polling warned about Kamala Harris — but party was ‘terrified’ of her online army · American Wire News - [thedailybs.com](https://thedailybs.com/2026/09/17/dem-insider-says-secret-poll-had-kamala-dead-last-but-party-went-with-her-anyway) — Dem insider says secret poll had Kamala dead last — but party went with her anyway - The Daily Bo Snerdley - [RedState](https://redstate.com/kyle-becker/2026/09/16/ouch-kamala-harris-wasnt-even-in-top-3-of-biden-successors-ex-insider-claims-n2207026) — OUCH: Kamala Harris Wasn't Even in Top 3 of Biden Successors, Ex-Insider Claims - [democraticaccent.com](https://democraticaccent.com/ex-dem-insider-drops-bombshell-on-where-harris-ranked-in-secret-poll-for-biden-replacements) — Ex-Dem insider drops bombshell on where Harris ranked in secret poll for Biden replacements – Democratic Accent - [wfmd.com](https://wfmd.com/2026/09/16/ex-dem-insider-drops-bombshell-on-where-harris-ranked-in-secret-poll-for-biden-replacements) — Ex-Dem insider drops bombshell on where Harris ranked in secret poll for Biden replacements - [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/politics/ex-dem-insider-drops-bombshell-where-harris-ranked-secret-poll-biden-replacements) — Ex-Dem insider drops bombshell on where Harris ranked in secret poll for Biden replacements ## Questions **What claims is Lindy Li making about Kamala Harris?** Lindy Li, a former Democrat fundraiser, claims that secret internal Democratic party polling showed Kamala Harris performed poorly in potential 2024 presidential election matchups, placing her last behind other potential candidates. She alleges the party ignored these results due to fear of backlash. **Why did the Democratic party allegedly ignore the polling results?** According to Lindy Li, the Democratic party allegedly ignored the internal polling results showing Kamala Harris performed poorly because they feared being labelled racist and facing backlash from her online supporters. She stated that bypassing Harris was seen as a significant risk. **Where are these claims being published?** Lindy Li is releasing these claims in her new book, titled 'Unburdened'. The book reportedly details the internal party polling and the decision-making process following Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/lindy-li-claims-secret-polls-showed-harris-last-in-2024-race. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Lindy Li claims secret polls showed Harris last in 2024 race", https://mediabias.news/politics/lindy-li-claims-secret-polls-showed-harris-last-in-2024-race