Kamala Harris presidential campaign in 2024 ended in financial hardship, having raised over $1 billion but leaving $20 million in debt.
By mid-October, the campaign had spent almost $900 million, according to many media publications, including Politico and Breitbart News, and the remaining money had been used up by the end of the month.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) documents, as of October 16, the Harris campaign had raised over $1 billion, of which $118 million was still in the bank. But the campaign’s financial problems worsened as the funding rapidly ran out, leaving it $20 million short.
With a $36 million cash reserve left over, Harris’ campaign had raised more than twice as much as President-elect Donald Trump’s, which reported raising less than $400 million.
The campaign’s expenditure approach has come under scrutiny due to the glaring disparity in financial results, especially the strong dependence on celebrity appearances and high-profile advertising.
Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon is accused of mismanaging finances and limiting the vice president’s power over her own campaign, according to sources close to the campaign, which is why the campaign is having financial difficulties.
Staff members claimed that O’Malley Dillon’s strict oversight and meddling in the campaign caused annoyance and a sense of marginalization. According to reports, a large number of staff members believed that the Biden campaign was well managed rather than being adapted to Harris’ goals and image.
Almost $700 million of the money generated went into advertising, and the campaign also spent money on high-profile concerts with celebrities like Eminem, Lizzo, and Katy Perry.
The campaign also made significant investments in extensive advertising campaigns, which included spending about $500,000 every day on advertisements in Nevada, a crucial battleground state, and erecting billboards over NFL games in swing states.
