By It was a record-breaking fundraising feat for a presidential campaign. Vice President Kamala Harris amassed over $1 billion in campaign funds, only to be defeated by former President Donald Trump. Despite her unprecedented financial resources, Harris struggled to connect with voters in key battleground states, ultimately leading to her defeat.
Now, as Democrats lick their wounds, some are asking one question: where did all the money go?
The Washington Examiner writes that in mid-October, the Harris campaign disclosed that it had spent over $880 million this election, almost $526 million greater than the roughly $354 million that the Trump campaign had disclosed spending, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of federal filings. Much of the Harris campaign’s spending was allocated for digital media advertising, polling, and travel from state to state, including to a private jet company called Advanced Aviation.
Payroll and the taxes that accompanied it accounted for $56.6 million of the Harris campaign’s spending. In comparison, the Trump campaign reported spending $9 million on payroll — employing hundreds fewer staff members.
There was also the army of political, digital, and media consultants who were paid over $12.8 million by the Harris campaign, filings show.
One vendor, Village Marketing Agency, received over $3.9 million and reportedly worked to recruit thousands of social media influencers to boost Harris online. Others that scored lucrative consulting gigs from the campaign included the likes of Precision Strategies, a Democratic-aligned marketing agency; Ethos Organizing, founded by former Ohio Democratic Party director Malik Hubbard; and the Biden-allied SKDK communications firm.
“Event production” was a significant expense for the Harris campaign, the newspaper noted. The vice president’s camp often orchestrated large-scale and glitzy rallies featuring high-profile musicians like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, including a major election-eve rally. On November 4, 2024, Lady Gaga performed at a Harris campaign rally held outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, adding star power to the campaign’s final stretch. Federal filings reveal that over $15 million was allocated to companies providing event production services. Among these expenses was a $1 million payment to Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions in West Hollywood, California, on October 15. Winfrey, a key Harris supporter, appeared with the vice president at a September town hall and again at the Philadelphia rally just before Election Day.
The Harris campaign also contracted with Viva Creative, a marketing agency experienced in high-profile events for Oprah, Trevor Noah, and major brands like American Express, paying them $1.8 million from September through October. Another notable vendor, Production Management One in Maryland, received $1.7 million, while other companies like Vox Productions, Temple University, and Wizard Studios North were paid for their contributions to various campaign events. Majic Productions, a Wisconsin-based company with a history of working on the NBA playoffs and the Super Bowl, was compensated $2.3 million. Additionally, a source told the Washington Examiner that the Harris campaign invested six figures into creating a set for her appearance on the popular Call Her Daddy podcast with Alex Cooper, an interview recorded in a Washington, D.C. hotel room and released in October.
Harris allegedly spent so much money that the campaign has found itself in millions of dollars in debt despite its huge fundraising haul. To make up the difference, campaign leaders have begun selling Harris’ email list so other organizations can spam her most devoted followers.
The political operation roughly $118 million in cash on hand as of October 16.
President-elect Trump needled his opponents blowing so much money in their attempt to defeat him. Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I am very surprised that the Democrats, who fought a hard and valiant fight in the 2020 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,” he wrote in a Saturday morning Truth Social post. “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. 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!”
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