Democrats want Vice President Kamala Harris to stop asking her supporters for money after she reportedly raised $1.4bn for her campaign and ended it with $20m in debt.
“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,” Mike Nellis, founder of the Democratic digital firm Authentic, told Politico. “But yeah, I think that stuff like that erodes trust.”
It’s not uncommon for presidential candidates to end their campaigns in debt. Hillary Clinton ended her 2008 campaign with $25m in debt and Barack Obama ended his 2012 campaign with $6.8m. The debts were settled in 2013 and 2018 respectively.
Harris’s campaign is attempting to raise funds for costs associated with ending the presidential bid, like maintaining staff, closing offices and ensuring financial reports are in compliance, the outlet reported.
Some of the emails being sent out by the campaign state: “Even a quick donation of $50 is enough to help us in this fight” and “And with only hours left to hit our goal today, NOW is the best time to rush your support.”
Canceling out campaign debt can come with some challenges due to limits on campaign contributions. It’s been reported that Harris’s campaign spent $551m on digital and TV ads.
The emails to supporters are raising cash for a joint fundraising committee affiliated with her campaign. The money will first go through the DNC, then the campaign’s recount account, and then to state parties, according to Politico. The committee will pay for expenses before the transfers happen.
Democratic watchers worry that Harris could be destroying relationships with donors by asking them to give her money after she raised millions within the first week of her campaign, eventually bringing in more than $1bn.
James Zogby, a DNC member who is vying for the committee’s vice chair position, said that the messages were not a “good look” and that the party’s donation solicitations can have a “begging” tone.