Kamala Harris’s record as California prosecutor hurt her 2020 campaign. Will 2024 be different?

Criminal justice activists hope for a reset' in fresh race and urge the vice-president to embrace progressive reforms

When Kamala Harris ran for president in 2019, criminal justice reform leaders closely scrutinized her career as a prosecutor, with some advocates branding her a top cop" who lacked a strong progressive record.

Five years later, with the vice-president on track to become the Democratic nominee, the dynamics have fundamentally shifted. Harris' prosecutorial history, once something of a liability among some Democrats, is now seen as a key asset as she prepares to take on Donald Trump, the ex-president convicted of 34 felonies.