Kamala Harris got a hard dose of reality last week when Donald Trump trounced her in a landslide victory. Heading into Election Day, Harris and her backers seemed certain of an easy win, with supporters believing her path to victory was all but paved. But when the dust settled, Trump emerged with a resounding win, claiming both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
As the shock of her defeat settles in, Harris’s campaign finances tell a troubling story. Reports are surfacing that, despite raising a staggering $1 billion, her campaign ended up $20 million in the red during the final week. This financial mess has pushed her to a new low: reportedly reaching out to donors with her hand out, even days after the loss was sealed.
Emails obtained by the Daily Caller show a flurry of post-election fundraising messages from the Harris campaign, begging for cash under the guise of legal and recount efforts. Branded as the “Harris Fight Fund,” these emails invoke “fear, confusion, and sadness,” asking supporters to contribute urgently to bolster Democrats in close congressional races. One email pleads, “As you read this, there are U.S. Senate and House races that are either too close to call, or within the margin of recounts or certain legal challenges. Can you please rush a contribution to the Harris Fight Fund program today?” This digital handout leads donors directly to ActBlue, Harris’s primary fundraising platform.
A particularly striking email was sent the very day after her loss, where the campaign openly admitted the outcome was “not what we wanted.” The email wrapped itself in promises of ongoing fights for Democratic ideals—mentioning issues like gun control and reproductive rights—but ultimately circled back to the same plea: money for Democrats to “hold the Trump administration accountable.” It’s a jarring message to receive from a campaign that just lost so definitively, a last-ditch effort that some may see as Harris squeezing her followers dry, even in defeat.
Not one to miss the opportunity, Trump responded on Sunday night, hinting at his amusement over Harris’s financial mess. “Now they are being squeezed by vendors and others,” he remarked, adding with a bit of wry advice, “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.” Trump’s dig was underscored by his mention of his own campaign’s financial success, praising “Earned Media”—publicity that doesn’t cost a cent—as his campaign’s biggest asset.
This chaotic financial mess only further highlights that Harris was a high-stakes gamble from the beginning. Blowing through a billion dollars and ending up $20 million in debt is no small feat, especially for a candidate who was supposed to rally Democrats under a single banner. Only someone as politically divisive as Harris could manage this double whammy: draining donor funds dry while still managing to lose the election in a crushing defeat.
Even in the face of this loss, Harris’s loyal base might still be willing to pony up, but at what cost? By shaking down her supporters with post-election emails, she’s revealing a sharp disregard for their continued trust. For Harris, the call for donations seems to be the only constant—win or lose.