'Kamala Harris scored MASSIVE own goal five years ago...Donald Trump simply waited to pounce'

What went wrong?

Harris tried to renounce her progressive past and adopt a more moderate position to broaden her appeal to the electorate.

However, voters appeared to not buy her volte-face. She even shot herself in the foot when asked how she differed from President Joe Biden after he dropped out of the race in July.

She said: "There is not a thing that comes to mind. I’ve been a part of most of the decisions that have had impact."

However, Father Ted creator Graham Linehan suggests her fate was sealed long before she became the Democratic nominee.

The comedy writer believes Harris' previous support for transgender issues became a liability for her come election time.

"Democrats pretended that nothing was happening, but it was basically a massive own goal for them because all Trump has to do was just kick these easy balls in."

Linehan is well-placed to comment on this topic, having been subjected to a merciless cancellation campaign over his views on transgender activism.

As he points out, Trump had already seized on Harris' weak spot in the run-up to the election when he openly mocked her running mate Tim Walz during the Al Smith Dinner.

“I used to think Democrats were crazy for saying that men have periods. But then I met Tim Walz.”

The comment references a Minnesota law signed by Governor Walz, which mandates that public schools provide menstrual products in restrooms for all menstruating students, reflecting a policy aimed at addressing period poverty and inclusivity regarding transgender students

"As a joke that's just going to resonate, you know? It's so savage and so funny that the Democrats will probably be picking glass out of their hair for the next four years," Linehan told GB News.

Harris' support of transgender issues can be traced back to a 2019 questionnaire that received little media attention.

In the ACLU survey, which was sent to all Democratic and Republican candidates ahead of the 2020 election, she expressed support for gender-affirming care for transgender adults, including detained migrants and those incarcerated.

During a town hall event in New Hampshire that same year, Harris was asked by a voter if she supported adding a “third gender” to federal identification cards.

"Sure," Harris answered, adding: “I have my entire life and career been an ally and I see the issue of LGBTQ rights as a fundamental civil rights and human rights issue, period."

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Trump's campaign and associated Republican groups were keen to remind voters of the Vice President's progressive past, focusing heavily on transgender issues in their advertising strategy.

Reports suggest that Republicans spent significant sums - around £111 million - on ads that criticised Harris's stance on transgender rights, particularly her support for policies like transgender inmates receiving gender-affirming care.

This approach was part of a broader strategy to frame Democrats as out of touch with mainstream American values on this issue.

While transgender rights were not the sole reason for Harris's loss, they were effectively used by Republicans as a wedge issue, exit polls suggest.

In a survey conducted shortly after the election, voters said Harris was too focused on cultural issues rather than helping the middle class.

However, another poll conducted by a Democratic firm suggested the impact transgender issues had on voter turnout was negligible.