November 16th 2024.
Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party have been very successful in raising funds, with over $1 billion raised during her campaign against Donald Trump. Even though the election is over, Harris is still reaching out to donors for more support.
The Democratic Party has been sending out frequent appeals to Harris' supporters, but they are not explicitly asking for donations to cover any potential debts. Instead, they are focusing on other important matters such as Trump's upcoming administration and pending congressional contests.
According to Adrian Hemond, a Democratic strategist from Michigan, the Harris campaign spent more money than they raised during the election and are now actively trying to fundraise. Hemond himself has been approached by the campaign for assistance with their fundraising efforts.
The party is primarily targeting small-dollar donors, who contribute a few hundred dollars or less, through email appeals. However, they are also reaching out to larger donors through individual calls.
This post-election scramble highlights the financial strain of a losing campaign and the current challenges facing the Democratic Party as they work to counter the Trump administration and prepare for the 2026 midterm elections. It also raises questions about how the party used their resources, including hosting events with celebrities and running ads in non-traditional spaces.
Internally, the campaign's apparent cash shortage has resulted in many senior staff members not being paid after Saturday, despite being initially told they would be paid through the end of the year. This has caused frustration within the campaign, and some staff members were recently notified that their health insurance will be covered through the end of the year.
However, according to a source familiar with the fundraising efforts and the Democratic National Committee's finances, the expected shortfall for the Harris campaign is relatively small compared to the overall campaign budget. The campaign had reported having $119 million cash on hand in mid-October, before the November 5th election.
Patrick Stauffer, chief financial officer for the Harris campaign, stated that there are no outstanding debts or bills, and there will be no debt listed on their next financial disclosures. However, it is still unclear exactly where the campaign stands financially at the moment, as they are still receiving invoices from vendors and have outstanding receipts from media organizations for their campaign activities.
In light of Trump's recent announcement of Florida Republican Matt Gaetz as his pick for Attorney General, Harris' supporters received another appeal for donations to the "Harris Fight Fund." The email cited concerns about the emerging Trump team and its agenda, stating that Gaetz will "weaponize the Justice Department" and that Democrats must stop him from executing Trump's plans for revenge and retribution.
Another email was sent out on Friday, also in Harris' name, emphasizing the importance of continuing the fight and mentioning critical races that are still too close to call or are facing recounts and legal challenges.
Interestingly, these emails do not mention anything about the Harris campaign or its finances. This is because the "Harris Fight Fund" is a post-election label for the "Harris Victory Fund," which is a joint fundraising operation between Harris' campaign, the DNC, and state Democratic parties. While the language in the recent appeals may suggest that donations would go towards the campaign, most contributions from rank-and-file donors would actually be allocated to the national party, unless the donor specifically requests otherwise.
The fine print at the bottom of the solicitation explains that the first $41,300 from an individual and the first $15,000 from a political action committee would go to the DNC. The next $3,300 from an individual or $5,000 from a PAC would be allocated to the "Harris for President Recount Account." Any additional contributions, up to the maximum limits, would be distributed among state parties.
Officials at the DNC have indicated that the party has no plans to cover any shortfall for the Harris campaign, but they cannot rule out the possibility of shifting funds to the campaign. With the party set to undergo a leadership change early next year, the financial situation for the Harris campaign remains uncertain. Reporting for this article was contributed by Bill Barrow and Joey Cappelletti, with additional contributions from AP National Political Writer Steve Peoples in New York. Stay informed about politics in Colorado by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
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