Dems Worry Harris' Ongoing Fundraising Efforts 'Erodes Trust'
Despite her defeat, the fundraising emails continue to convey an urgent tone.
TroibNews 
The 2024 election has concluded, yet fundraising emails from Kamala Harris continue to arrive, maintaining an urgent tone.
“Even a quick donation of $50 is enough to help us in this fight,” stated one email dispatched two weeks post-Election Day. “And with only hours left to hit our goal today, NOW is the best time to rush your support.”
Another recent email featured the direct subject line: “Please do not click away.”
These fundraising efforts may be necessary given that Harris’ campaign concluded with approximately $20 million in debt, as per two individuals familiar with the campaign’s financial situation who requested anonymity. Under federal law, options to pay down this debt are limited.
While the emails do not mention debt, they reference the organization’s backing for recount efforts in tight races and legal challenges. The Harris campaign maintains that neither the campaign nor its affiliated joint fundraising committees had outstanding debts on Election Day, and it states that future Federal Election Commission reports due in December will not reflect any debts.
Despite this, the fundraising solicitations have persisted, leading to concerns among some Democrats that the tone of Harris’ messages might further complicate the party's relationships with online donors, a vital resource for the party. Within a few months, the vice president developed a groundbreaking fundraising operation, generating over $1.4 billion largely from online supporters and continuing fundraising events into the fall. Now, those same donors have been asked for additional contributions, with emails arriving two to three times daily.
“I understand that the Harris campaign is in a very difficult position with the debt that they have, and so sometimes you just have to make practical decisions,” commented Mike Nellis, founder of the Democratic digital firm Authentic, whose clients include prominent Democratic House and Senate candidates. “But yeah, I think that stuff like that erodes trust.”
A Harris campaign official clarified that they are not soliciting additional funds from any specific group of donors beyond what they were contributing before the election. The official also noted that some fundraising is necessary to cover costs associated with winding down the campaign, such as maintaining staff, closing offices, and ensuring compliance with financial reporting.
Concerns about the party’s small-dollar fundraising strategies and expenditures have now crept into the race for leadership of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Members of the party's governing body are voicing concerns regarding Harris' campaign spending, given its rapid financial pace, leading some to call for increased oversight of party expenditures.
The most significant expense for Harris’ campaign was media, with $551 million allocated for digital and TV ads between her assuming the role from President Joe Biden in mid-July and Election Day, as reported by AdImpact, which specializes in political advertising tracking. During the latest reporting period in early October, media production and purchases comprised 77 percent of total spending, with payroll accounting for just 2.5 percent.
James Zogby, a long-standing DNC member running for vice chair of the committee, criticized the seemingly desperate tone of fundraising messages, asserting, “It’s not a good look, I don’t think it sends a good message.” He emphasized the need for the broader DNC membership to assess the effectiveness of these fundraising tactics and discuss their outcomes.
Zogby is advocating for a financial oversight committee to be elected by DNC members to gain better control over party spending, including contracted firms, reviving his earlier push for increased transparency during the party’s Unity Reform Commission in 2017. “I want to make sure we have a conversation about, where does the money go, and why don’t we know where it goes?” he stated.
In the post-election landscape, Donald Trump also continues to fundraise via a joint fundraising committee, with recent appeals focused on merchandise sales, like Christmas-themed items, and entry into a chance to attend the inauguration.
Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who dropped out of the race in August, has been sending out fundraising emails as his campaign also faced debt.
It’s common for presidential campaigns to end electoral cycles with debt, and methods to eliminate it are often limited and can be protracted. For example, Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign concluded with $25 million in debt, a portion of which was personal loans, and wasn’t entirely settled until 2013. Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign reported $6.8 million in debt after that election, which remained unresolved until 2018.
Harris’ post-election fundraising appeals are directed toward one of her campaign’s joint fundraising committees. Contributions raised by this committee initially go to the DNC, then to her campaign’s recount account, followed by state parties, after covering expenses incurred by the joint fundraising committee.
The Harris team's emails have been clear about the committees benefitted by the funds, with contributions intended for the DNC and state parties to assist in contested races, as many of the messages indicate, remarked Will Bunnett, a Democratic digital strategist.
“By and large, the Harris-Walz folks sending these messages are doing a pretty good job,” he noted.
However, how donors perceive these solicitations remains an open question. Those not inclined to contribute have the option to overlook the messages or unsubscribe. “Will donors, or potential donors, or email subscribers, appreciate getting those messages? Will it feel like a reasonable ask of them?” Bunnett pondered. “And the answer to me as a practitioner is, ‘Well, that's up to them.’”
Christopher Cadelago and Brittany Gibson contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
“Even a quick donation of $50 is enough to help us in this fight,” stated one email dispatched two weeks post-Election Day. “And with only hours left to hit our goal today, NOW is the best time to rush your support.”
Another recent email featured the direct subject line: “Please do not click away.”
These fundraising efforts may be necessary given that Harris’ campaign concluded with approximately $20 million in debt, as per two individuals familiar with the campaign’s financial situation who requested anonymity. Under federal law, options to pay down this debt are limited.
While the emails do not mention debt, they reference the organization’s backing for recount efforts in tight races and legal challenges. The Harris campaign maintains that neither the campaign nor its affiliated joint fundraising committees had outstanding debts on Election Day, and it states that future Federal Election Commission reports due in December will not reflect any debts.
Despite this, the fundraising solicitations have persisted, leading to concerns among some Democrats that the tone of Harris’ messages might further complicate the party's relationships with online donors, a vital resource for the party. Within a few months, the vice president developed a groundbreaking fundraising operation, generating over $1.4 billion largely from online supporters and continuing fundraising events into the fall. Now, those same donors have been asked for additional contributions, with emails arriving two to three times daily.
“I understand that the Harris campaign is in a very difficult position with the debt that they have, and so sometimes you just have to make practical decisions,” commented Mike Nellis, founder of the Democratic digital firm Authentic, whose clients include prominent Democratic House and Senate candidates. “But yeah, I think that stuff like that erodes trust.”
A Harris campaign official clarified that they are not soliciting additional funds from any specific group of donors beyond what they were contributing before the election. The official also noted that some fundraising is necessary to cover costs associated with winding down the campaign, such as maintaining staff, closing offices, and ensuring compliance with financial reporting.
Concerns about the party’s small-dollar fundraising strategies and expenditures have now crept into the race for leadership of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Members of the party's governing body are voicing concerns regarding Harris' campaign spending, given its rapid financial pace, leading some to call for increased oversight of party expenditures.
The most significant expense for Harris’ campaign was media, with $551 million allocated for digital and TV ads between her assuming the role from President Joe Biden in mid-July and Election Day, as reported by AdImpact, which specializes in political advertising tracking. During the latest reporting period in early October, media production and purchases comprised 77 percent of total spending, with payroll accounting for just 2.5 percent.
James Zogby, a long-standing DNC member running for vice chair of the committee, criticized the seemingly desperate tone of fundraising messages, asserting, “It’s not a good look, I don’t think it sends a good message.” He emphasized the need for the broader DNC membership to assess the effectiveness of these fundraising tactics and discuss their outcomes.
Zogby is advocating for a financial oversight committee to be elected by DNC members to gain better control over party spending, including contracted firms, reviving his earlier push for increased transparency during the party’s Unity Reform Commission in 2017. “I want to make sure we have a conversation about, where does the money go, and why don’t we know where it goes?” he stated.
In the post-election landscape, Donald Trump also continues to fundraise via a joint fundraising committee, with recent appeals focused on merchandise sales, like Christmas-themed items, and entry into a chance to attend the inauguration.
Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who dropped out of the race in August, has been sending out fundraising emails as his campaign also faced debt.
It’s common for presidential campaigns to end electoral cycles with debt, and methods to eliminate it are often limited and can be protracted. For example, Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign concluded with $25 million in debt, a portion of which was personal loans, and wasn’t entirely settled until 2013. Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign reported $6.8 million in debt after that election, which remained unresolved until 2018.
Harris’ post-election fundraising appeals are directed toward one of her campaign’s joint fundraising committees. Contributions raised by this committee initially go to the DNC, then to her campaign’s recount account, followed by state parties, after covering expenses incurred by the joint fundraising committee.
The Harris team's emails have been clear about the committees benefitted by the funds, with contributions intended for the DNC and state parties to assist in contested races, as many of the messages indicate, remarked Will Bunnett, a Democratic digital strategist.
“By and large, the Harris-Walz folks sending these messages are doing a pretty good job,” he noted.
However, how donors perceive these solicitations remains an open question. Those not inclined to contribute have the option to overlook the messages or unsubscribe. “Will donors, or potential donors, or email subscribers, appreciate getting those messages? Will it feel like a reasonable ask of them?” Bunnett pondered. “And the answer to me as a practitioner is, ‘Well, that's up to them.’”
Christopher Cadelago and Brittany Gibson contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
