Harris's team intensifies efforts for Walz's fundraising campaign in the final stretch
He is contributing to her fundraising initiative, even though there have been past difficulties with donor networks.
TroibNews 
Tim Walz has faced challenges in fundraising throughout his career, partly due to his limited connections with high-dollar donors from his time representing a rural congressional district.
However, in recent weeks, the Minnesota governor has emerged as a more valuable asset, assisting Kamala Harris in her efforts to secure record-breaking fundraising amounts since being selected as her running mate. Reports indicate that he has been raising between $750,000 to $2 million per campaign fundraiser, according to two sources familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The Harris campaign is now focused on amplifying Walz's fundraising efforts as the team aims to invest millions more into resource-heavy ground organizing in battleground states just weeks ahead of the election.
Next Monday, Harris' team has organized a fundraising event in New York for Walz, according to two individuals who spoke on condition of anonymity. Additionally, Harris is set to host three major fundraising events in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles before the end of the month.
Harris' team is exploring strategies to enhance Walz’s outreach as they ramp up Get Out The Vote (GOTV) initiatives in battleground areas, particularly in rural and less populated regions that are costly to reach.
The campaign’s significant financial advantage, boasting $100 million, has enabled the party to establish strong organizing infrastructure in areas previously deemed too costly, especially in rural and exurban regions beyond major urban centers. Democratic strategists in battleground states anticipate record levels of funding will continue flowing into their areas for advertisements and ground organizing efforts.
“It’s going to be more than ever before. It’s going to be a stupid number. But that’s what we’re used to,” remarked Joe Zepecki, a Democratic strategist in Wisconsin. “I have no reason to believe they’re going to leave any stone unturned here.”
The campaign intends for Walz to visit “everywhere” to enhance his fundraising efforts, according to one insider, likely after the vice presidential candidate debate on October 1. The Harris campaign declined to provide further comment.
Walz has already addressed Harris-Walz fundraising events in California, Denver, Boston, and New York. The campaign is looking to leverage Walz's background as a former high school football coach to broaden both the scope and pace of his donor outreach.
Efforts to mobilize support included a text message sent by Walz on Sunday night urging potential backers that it’s the “final quarter” and emphasizing the need for someone on the field to “go above and beyond to help elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States,” coinciding with the deadline for the Federal Election Commission filings.
Earlier this month, Walz spoke to a gathering of high-dollar Democratic donors at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner, stating, “We organize, we donate, we volunteer,” in reference to the campaign's final push.
Walz's previous struggles as a fundraiser have largely been attributed to his limited network of affluent donors. His history as a high school teacher and football coach from a small Nebraska town, along with representing a conservative rural district in southern Minnesota, didn’t foster many connections to wealthy supporters.
“He’s always struggled,” stated another Walz ally who spoke anonymously. “He’s never really been good at it, until now.”
In Walz’s former congressional district, the wealthiest area is Rochester, home to the esteemed Mayo Clinic, which provided significant financial support during his time in Congress. Nonetheless, one ally acknowledged the constraints of this area: “That’s doctor money, that’s not Wall Street money.”
The former teacher and coach frequently held fundraisers in supporters' homes, including events in the living room of Rachel Bohman, the Democrat aiming to reclaim Walz’s old congressional seat this fall.
During his initial 2006 congressional campaign, Walz lacked sufficient funds in the summer of 2005 to hire more than a few consultants, delaying the addition of new hires until the summer of 2006 while preparing to unseat a GOP incumbent.
Walz’s role as chair of the Democratic Governors Association since last December has significantly enhanced his national profile and provided access to a broader range of donors. After raising just over $1 million for his initial gubernatorial campaign in 2018, he raised over three times that amount ahead of his 2022 reelection.
Walz became involved in Harris's fundraising efforts even before officially joining the ticket, organizing several urgent fundraisers for her during the final days of her vice presidential selection process, including at a woman-owned brewery in St. Paul. Attendees of the event were thrilled that the gathering raised over $150,000.
Minnesota Democrats believe that Walz’s newfound connections and fundraising abilities will benefit him in future political endeavors, whether or not Democrats prevail in this fall’s presidential election or if he seeks a third term as governor.
Known for his sometimes rapid-fire speech style since his first fundraising events, Walz appears more at ease in his recent pitches to high-dollar donors.
He recently traveled to Texas for a fundraiser in Dallas, a prominent Democratic stronghold. The event, held at an upscale Hilton by several influential Democratic lawyers, featured tickets priced at $100,000.
During his brief address, Walz took aim at former President Donald Trump and Republicans for their actions related to abortion access, urging Texas Democratic donors to support the entire party ticket and help oust GOP Senator Ted Cruz, who faces a tighter race than expected.
“My God, just do it for all of America: replace Ted,” Walz declared to the audience.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
However, in recent weeks, the Minnesota governor has emerged as a more valuable asset, assisting Kamala Harris in her efforts to secure record-breaking fundraising amounts since being selected as her running mate. Reports indicate that he has been raising between $750,000 to $2 million per campaign fundraiser, according to two sources familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The Harris campaign is now focused on amplifying Walz's fundraising efforts as the team aims to invest millions more into resource-heavy ground organizing in battleground states just weeks ahead of the election.
Next Monday, Harris' team has organized a fundraising event in New York for Walz, according to two individuals who spoke on condition of anonymity. Additionally, Harris is set to host three major fundraising events in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles before the end of the month.
Harris' team is exploring strategies to enhance Walz’s outreach as they ramp up Get Out The Vote (GOTV) initiatives in battleground areas, particularly in rural and less populated regions that are costly to reach.
The campaign’s significant financial advantage, boasting $100 million, has enabled the party to establish strong organizing infrastructure in areas previously deemed too costly, especially in rural and exurban regions beyond major urban centers. Democratic strategists in battleground states anticipate record levels of funding will continue flowing into their areas for advertisements and ground organizing efforts.
“It’s going to be more than ever before. It’s going to be a stupid number. But that’s what we’re used to,” remarked Joe Zepecki, a Democratic strategist in Wisconsin. “I have no reason to believe they’re going to leave any stone unturned here.”
The campaign intends for Walz to visit “everywhere” to enhance his fundraising efforts, according to one insider, likely after the vice presidential candidate debate on October 1. The Harris campaign declined to provide further comment.
Walz has already addressed Harris-Walz fundraising events in California, Denver, Boston, and New York. The campaign is looking to leverage Walz's background as a former high school football coach to broaden both the scope and pace of his donor outreach.
Efforts to mobilize support included a text message sent by Walz on Sunday night urging potential backers that it’s the “final quarter” and emphasizing the need for someone on the field to “go above and beyond to help elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States,” coinciding with the deadline for the Federal Election Commission filings.
Earlier this month, Walz spoke to a gathering of high-dollar Democratic donors at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner, stating, “We organize, we donate, we volunteer,” in reference to the campaign's final push.
Walz's previous struggles as a fundraiser have largely been attributed to his limited network of affluent donors. His history as a high school teacher and football coach from a small Nebraska town, along with representing a conservative rural district in southern Minnesota, didn’t foster many connections to wealthy supporters.
“He’s always struggled,” stated another Walz ally who spoke anonymously. “He’s never really been good at it, until now.”
In Walz’s former congressional district, the wealthiest area is Rochester, home to the esteemed Mayo Clinic, which provided significant financial support during his time in Congress. Nonetheless, one ally acknowledged the constraints of this area: “That’s doctor money, that’s not Wall Street money.”
The former teacher and coach frequently held fundraisers in supporters' homes, including events in the living room of Rachel Bohman, the Democrat aiming to reclaim Walz’s old congressional seat this fall.
During his initial 2006 congressional campaign, Walz lacked sufficient funds in the summer of 2005 to hire more than a few consultants, delaying the addition of new hires until the summer of 2006 while preparing to unseat a GOP incumbent.
Walz’s role as chair of the Democratic Governors Association since last December has significantly enhanced his national profile and provided access to a broader range of donors. After raising just over $1 million for his initial gubernatorial campaign in 2018, he raised over three times that amount ahead of his 2022 reelection.
Walz became involved in Harris's fundraising efforts even before officially joining the ticket, organizing several urgent fundraisers for her during the final days of her vice presidential selection process, including at a woman-owned brewery in St. Paul. Attendees of the event were thrilled that the gathering raised over $150,000.
Minnesota Democrats believe that Walz’s newfound connections and fundraising abilities will benefit him in future political endeavors, whether or not Democrats prevail in this fall’s presidential election or if he seeks a third term as governor.
Known for his sometimes rapid-fire speech style since his first fundraising events, Walz appears more at ease in his recent pitches to high-dollar donors.
He recently traveled to Texas for a fundraiser in Dallas, a prominent Democratic stronghold. The event, held at an upscale Hilton by several influential Democratic lawyers, featured tickets priced at $100,000.
During his brief address, Walz took aim at former President Donald Trump and Republicans for their actions related to abortion access, urging Texas Democratic donors to support the entire party ticket and help oust GOP Senator Ted Cruz, who faces a tighter race than expected.
“My God, just do it for all of America: replace Ted,” Walz declared to the audience.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
