2024 Election Autopsy Report Is So Bad Democrats Are Burying It

Democrats are shelving their 2024 election autopsy despite having completed it, and attempting to move forward as though nothing has happened — prompting people outside their camp and even some within it to ask what was so bad that they didn’t want anyone to see?

A post-election autopsy — like an After-Action Review (AAR) in the military — is supposed to look at all aspects of any given election cycle and determine what went right and what went wrong. While it certainly can be useful to look at those factors after winning an election, often the most valuable lessons come from acknowledging what went wrong in an election that ended in loss.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin — who said as recently as February that he’d have no problem releasing the report — announced last week that he would not be releasing the completed report after all, claiming that the party was already showing gains and arguing that its release would not aid in their efforts to move forward.

“We are aligned on what’s important, and that’s learning from the past and winning the future. Here’s our North Star: does this help us win? If the answer is no, it’s a distraction from the core mission,” he claimed.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) brushed off questions about the DNC’s decision during a Sunday morning appearance on CNN”s “State of the Union,” saying simply, “What went wrong is, we lost the election.”

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin on DNC’s refusal to release 2024 post-election autopsy: “What went wrong is, we lost the election.” pic.twitter.com/X5pTYPvSwl

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) December 21, 2025

Democratic strategist and CNN commentator Xochitl Hinojosa backed Martin’s play as well, saying, “I could not agree more with this decision. We all know why Dems lost in 2024. The DNC has and should continue to make changes, and that is one of the reasons Dems have been winning up and down the ballot. Let’s stop looking back. Let’s look forward and continue winning.”

But there were some rumblings from the Left as a few worried that former Vice President Kamala Harris would reap the most benefit from less scrutiny directed at the election she lost. Jeff Weaver, who managed Senator Bernie Sanders’s (I-VT) 2016 campaign, observed: “Kamala Harris certainly benefits from not having an open discussion.”

Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships

Rebecca Katz, adviser to Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), added, “How are Democrats going to learn from mistakes if we don’t have any concept of the depth and breadth of those mistakes?”

“I suspect the reasons why this isn’t being released are precisely the reasons why it should be released,” Lis Smith, adviser to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said.

CNN anchor Kasie Hunt asked a panel on Sunday’s “State of the Union” whether refusing to release the report would just give voters one more reason to feel like the Democratic Party was not listening to them. She asked whether it might feel like “a continuation of the reasons the public doesn’t trust the Democratic Party.”

CNN panel melts down after host asks why Democratic party’s decision not to release their autopsy on losing 2024 election is “not a continuation of the reasons the public doesn’t trust the Democratic party?”

Bakari Sellers: “This is laughable.”

CNN host: “18% of Americans… pic.twitter.com/mu9UPEkeY7

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) December 22, 2025

On “The Big Weekend Show,” Fox News regular and Marine Corps veteran Joey Jones argued that the reason the Democrats lost in 2024 should be obvious: Kamala Harris was “a terrible messenger for a terrible message.”

“A TERRIBLE MESSENGER FOR A TERRIBLE MESSAGE” – Democrats are refusing to release their 2024 autopsy report, saying there’s no point because it won’t help them win future elections. But @Johnny_Joey already knows why they lost and it’s all because of Kamala Harris. Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/WOLjytPmz4

— The Big Weekend Show (@BigWeekendShow) December 22, 2025

On Fox News panel show “The Five,” Tyrus suggested in mocking tones that he didn’t really blame Democrats for scuttling the report — largely because if he’d lost that badly, he wouldn’t be too keen on watching the replay either: “Some of the worst behind-whoopings of your life… you don’t sit down and break out the, ‘hey, let’s watch the video when Mom left Dad at Christmas for his uncle. Let’s break that video out.'”

“Some of the worst behind-whoopings of your life… you don’t sit down and break out the, ‘hey, let’s watch the video when Mom left Dad at Christmas for his uncle. Let’s break that video out.”

The DNC is getting slammed for killing their autopsy on what went so wrong in the 2024… pic.twitter.com/vecDQM2zZi

— The Five (@TheFive) December 20, 2025

Democrat panelist Jessica Tarlov disagreed, arguing that the party was going against promises of transparency by refusing to release the report.

“I wish they had released it. I don’t think you can give a slew of interviews saying ‘we need this’ and then tell people ‘it’s ok, it’s going to be fine,'” she said.

???? Even Jessica Tarlov is calling out the DNC for not releasing their 2024 election autopsy report: “I wish they had released it. I don’t think you can give a slew of interviews saying ‘we need this’ and then tell people ‘it’s ok, it’s going to be fine’.” pic.twitter.com/k4NCfYMaQS

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) December 20, 2025

Of course, the writing may have already begun to appear on the wall months earlier when it was revealed that the autopsy would not include a review of then-President Joe Biden’s insistence upon running for reelection, his spectacular implosion as a candidate, and then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ effective installation as heir apparent.

The Democrats’ 2024 election autopsy will reportedly not examine the Biden fiasco or Harris’ quality as a candidate. Odd choice! pic.twitter.com/Bh3jyAjOw1

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 25, 2025

Martin, according to The Washington Post, said at the time that he did not feel it was important to review those particular issues because he did not believe it likely that a similar set of circumstances would present in a future election.