(DailyVantage.com) – Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign reportedly ended with a substantial debt of $20 million in its final week, according to multiple sources. Politico’s California bureau chief, Christopher Cadelago, revealed on X that Harris had raised over $1 billion, holding around $118 million as of mid-October. However, the campaign rapidly depleted its resources, leaving it financially strained as it neared Election Day.
A Harris campaign insider told Breitbart News that Jen O’Malley Dillon, the campaign chair, took charge of the high-cost strategy that quickly exhausted campaign funds. According to the staffer, Dillon’s approach heavily relied on celebrity-driven events, including concerts featuring high-profile performers like Katy Perry, Lizzo, Eminem, and Bruce Springsteen. The staffer described these events as “all Jen’s idea” and said they consumed large portions of the campaign budget at the expense of other vital areas, such as social media and digital outreach.
With Harris’s campaign now facing a $20 million debt, Rob Flaherty, the deputy campaign manager, is reportedly attempting to sell the campaign’s fundraising email list in an effort to raise funds to cover the shortfall. Meanwhile, O’Malley Dillon’s decisions have reportedly sparked internal criticism. “People didn’t like working with her,” the staffer said, explaining that many in the campaign felt Dillon’s tactics resembled those used during President Biden’s campaigns, rather than a unique, tailored strategy for Harris. They claimed Dillon often acted as a “gatekeeper,” limiting Harris’s involvement in key decisions.
Sources also noted that several former campaign staffers are still waiting for payments owed for their work, an issue that has only added to the controversy surrounding the campaign’s financial strategy. MAGA Inc. spokesperson Kaelan Dorr previously flagged what he called “strange financial activities” in Harris’s campaign finances, noting issues with media spending. Dorr highlighted instances where Harris’s team had to cut multiple checks on the same day to settle bills, suggesting cash flow issues.
With these reports now surfacing, questions remain about the effectiveness of Harris’s spending choices and the impact of Dillon’s strategy on her campaign’s final stretch. The campaign’s debt now adds a financial burden to Harris’s post-election period, complicating efforts to regroup and plan next steps.
Copyright 2024, DailyVantage.com