Kamala Harris gained a historic influx of cash for her presidential campaign, totaling over $1 billion in just a few short months since she was declared the Democratic nominee. Including the cash from the Democrat-affiliated groups, over $2 billion was spent.
The Harris campaign burned through $880 million by mid-October, with huge spending on ads, a $56.6 million payroll, and high-profile events featuring stars such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. The over-the-top costs also included $3.9 million for influencer marketing.
It was recently unearthed that the Harris campaign spent $100,000 constructing a temporary set for her interview on Call Her Daddy, though the interview hasn’t even topped one million views.
Claire McCaskill, a former Missouri senator, lamented that Harris “was listening too much to consultants,” resulting in a campaign that felt disconnected and inauthentic.
With her final rally featuring Oprah Winfrey, Harris’ campaign had clearly invested in star power, but it failed to resonate with swing voters who were looking for clarity and confidence in their candidate. A parade of celebrities was not enough to connect with Americans who were suffering from inflation and concerned about the mass influx of illegal migrants.
All the lavish spending officially left Harris’ campaign $20 million in debt.
President-elect Donald Trump suggested — though some believe he was joking — that he would pay the debts of the Harris campaign. “Now [the Harris campaign is] being squeezed by vendors and others,” wrote Trump. “Whatever we can do to help them during this difficult period, I would strongly recommend we, as a Party and for the sake of desperately needed UNITY, do.”
