You know, for months now, we’ve watched Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign put on one of the most extravagant shows in political history—nearly one billion dollars raised. Yes, that’s billion, with a “B.” Yet, somehow, this campaign is in the red by $20 million and counting. That’s right: despite raking in unprecedented amounts of cash, Kamala Harris’s campaign ended up in massive debt, and—unbelievably—she’s still asking for more from donors.
So how did this happen? Well, it’s a story of reckless spending, shady practices, and a campaign team that seemed to have more enthusiasm for throwing big parties than managing a responsible budget. Just look at the record-breaking fundraising haul—$81 million in a single day after Biden stepped aside. Did they really need to blow through a billion dollars, only to come up short? According to reports, Harris spent it on glitzy rallies with Hollywood celebrities and an endless stream of advertisements. You almost have to admire the confidence—or is it arrogance?
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris’s team allocated substantial funds to incorporate celebrity endorsements and appearances into their strategy. Federal Election Commission records indicate that Harpo Productions, owned by Oprah Winfrey, received $1 million in October 2024. This payment was reportedly for production costs associated with a live-streamed event featuring multiple celebrities, rather than a personal fee to Winfrey herself.
Additionally, the Harris campaign invested over $15 million in event production, which included concerts and rallies featuring high-profile artists such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Jon Bon Jovi. These expenditures were part of a broader strategy to leverage star power in key swing states. However, the campaign faced criticism for these spending choices, especially in light of its significant post-election debt.
Then there’s the dark money question. Millions of dollars from mysterious sources poured into the campaign. Nonprofits and so-called grassroots groups funneled untold amounts into this race, courtesy of the very “dark money” liberals used to swear they opposed. The same Harris who spent years railing against the influence of big money in politics has now reaped the benefits of one of the largest dark money operations we’ve ever seen.
Yet now, the campaign is broke, and donors are being asked to chip in even more. Just let that sink in. This wasn’t a grassroots campaign where every dollar counted; this was the Rolls Royce of campaign spending. They burned through all that cash, and now they’re asking small donors to pick up the pieces of a lavish campaign that blew its budget to kingdom come.
It raises a bigger question: If Kamala Harris couldn’t manage her own campaign’s budget responsibly, why on earth should Americans trust her with the federal budget or the economy? What does it say about fiscal responsibility when the person asking to lead the country financially mishandled what should have been an unstoppable campaign war chest?
Ultimately, this election cycle has shown us that campaign finance reform needs to be more than a talking point. The 2024 Harris campaign has exposed a system where politicians use and, frankly, abuse big-money donations without accountability. To be clear, this isn’t just about Harris; it’s about a political system where elites get all the benefits and small donors are left holding the bag.