Harris campaign raised $1 billion, ends $20 million in debt

Summary

KL Harris's campaign, despite raising over $1 billion, has ended in financial turmoil with a $20 million debt. While the campaign spent heavily on advertising, concerts, and other high-profile events, sources inside the campaign attribute the financial woes to poor management, including the influence of campaign chair Jyn Ali Dylan. Disgruntled staffers claim there was a lack of autonomy for Harris, as the campaign seemed to be run as an extension of Joe Biden’s efforts. The campaign’s final days saw desperate attempts to recoup losses, including selling Harris's fundraising list.

Takeaways

• 😀 KL Harris's campaign ended in financial turmoil despite raising over $1 billion, reportedly finishing $2 million in the hole.
• 😀 The Harris campaign was $20 million in debt by the end of its run, despite raising over $1 billion and having $118 million in the bank as of October 16th.
• 😀 Harris's campaign spent around $900 million by mid-October, but three weeks later, the remaining funds were entirely depleted.
• 😀 In comparison, Donald Trump's campaign raised less than $400 million but had a cash reserve of $36 million by mid-October.
• 😀 Several sources within Harris's campaign attributed the financial issues to campaign chair Jyn Ali, who was criticized for poor management and interference.
• 😀 Campaign staffers felt that the Harris campaign was being run by Joe Biden's team rather than Kamala Harris's own people, leading to internal friction.
• 😀 Over $700 million of the campaign's funds were reportedly spent on advertising, with some of the largest expenditures going towards NFL game flyover banners in swing states.
• 😀 In the final days of the campaign, nearly half a million dollars per day were spent on ads displayed on the Las Vegas Sphere in Nevada.
• 😀 Harris's campaign also allocated funds to high-profile concerts, featuring artists like Katy Perry, Lizzo, and rapper MM, which was reportedly an idea pushed by campaign chair Jyn Ali.
• 😀 With the campaign deeply in debt, Harris's Deputy Campaign Manager was reportedly trying to sell Harris's fundraising email list in an effort to recoup the losses.

Q & A

What financial troubles has KL Harris's campaign faced?

KL Harris's campaign reportedly ended in financial turmoil, running $20 million in debt despite raising over $1 billion. The campaign had a cash reserve of $118 million as of mid-October, but by early November, it had completely dried up.

How much did Harris's campaign raise and spend?

Harris's campaign raised more than $1 billion and spent approximately $900 million by mid-October. Despite this, the campaign ended with a $20 million deficit.

What was the source of Harris's campaign's financial difficulties?

Sources attribute the campaign's financial troubles to mismanagement, including high-profile advertising expenditures and concert events. Allegedly, campaign chair Jyn Ali Dylan's leadership and decisions on spending were also factors.

How did Harris's campaign spending compare to Donald Trump's campaign?

Harris's campaign raised over twice as much money as Donald Trump's campaign, which raised less than $400 million. Despite this, Trump’s campaign ended with a cash reserve of $36 million, unlike Harris's campaign, which ended up $20 million in debt.

What role did Jyn Ali Dylan play in Harris's campaign?

Jyn Ali Dylan, the campaign chair, is widely blamed for the financial woes of Harris's campaign. Staffers described her as a 'gatekeeper' who interfered with the campaign's management and decision-making, with many feeling she was too controlling.

What were the staff's feelings about the campaign's management?

Staffers expressed dissatisfaction with the way the campaign was run, particularly under the leadership of Jyn Ali Dylan. Many felt that the campaign was too heavily influenced by Joe Biden's team and that Kamala Harris's vision for her campaign was sidelined.

What was the impact of advertising on the campaign's finances?

A significant portion of the campaign's funds, approximately $700 million, was spent on advertising, including high-cost ad campaigns in swing states. Some staffers viewed the spending as excessive, especially given the campaign's financial problems.

How did the campaign spend on ads in swing states?

In the final weeks of the campaign, Harris's campaign spent nearly half a million dollars per day to display ads on the Las Vegas Sphere in Nevada, a key swing state.

How did the campaign use celebrity concerts to fundraise?

The campaign reportedly spent funds on high-profile concerts featuring artists like Katy Perry, Lizzo, and rapper MM. Some staffers felt that these events, which were spearheaded by Dylan, were not an effective use of resources given the financial challenges.

What efforts are being made to recover the campaign's losses?

To try to recover some of the losses, Harris's Deputy Campaign Manager is reportedly offering the campaign's fundraising email list to the highest bidder.