By Karen James
In a stunning post-election twist, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has emerged from the 2024 race facing a substantial financial shortfall. Reports indicate her campaign is saddled with a debt of at least $20 million, despite having raised over $1 billion and holding $118 million in campaign funds just weeks before Election Day. This revelation, shared by Politico’s California bureau chief Christopher Cadelago on X (formerly Twitter), has shocked many observers, including the President-elect himself, Donald Trump.
Trump, who won the election in a hard-fought campaign, expressed surprise at the financial troubles plaguing Harris’ campaign. Reflecting on the Democrats’ record-breaking fundraising efforts in recent cycles, Trump commented on X, “I am surprised that Democrats, who fought a hard and valiant fight in the 2024 Presidential Election, raising a record amount of money, didn’t have lots of $’s left over. Now they are being squeezed by vendors and others.”
In an unexpected gesture, Trump extended an olive branch, suggesting his party might offer support to Harris’ team. “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 continued, adding, “We have a lot of money left over in that our biggest asset in the campaign was ‘Earned Media,’ and that doesn’t cost very much. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The proposal from Trump, who frequently targeted Harris and her policies during the campaign, marks a rare moment of political détente in a divisive election year. It remains to be seen how the Democratic Party and Harris’ campaign will respond to Trump’s offer of assistance, but political analysts suggest the overture could signal a willingness on Trump’s part to set a different tone in the post-election period.
Cadelago’s report has fueled further scrutiny on Harris’ campaign spending, with many questioning how a team that had $118 million in reserve less than a month before the election could now find itself in a multi-million-dollar deficit. As Harris’ campaign navigates this financial crunch, the prospect of bipartisan support has added an unforeseen dimension to the post-election landscape.
