Where Kamala Harris's $1 billion campaign money went
What's the story
Kamala Harris, the outgoing United States Vice President, and Democratic presidential candidate, lost the November 5 presidential election to Republican Donald Trump. Harris joined the race after President Joe Biden announced his exit on July 21. Emory University professor Andra Gillespie observed that Harris had a "gargantuan task" with just 100 days to put together a national campaign.
Spending details
Harris' campaign spending breakdown
Harris' campaign raised a staggering $1 billion, mostly to advocate for fundamental rights and strengthen democracy. The Times reported that $15 million of this was spent on celebrity endorsements and over $4 million on influencer marketing. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were also spent to display Harris's face on the Las Vegas Sphere. Despite these massive expenses, her campaign ended up over $20 million in debt.
Advertising costs
Media advertising consumed largest portion of campaign funds
The Johns Hopkins University revealed that the bulk of Harris' campaign funds, amounting to $690 million, went toward media advertising. This included television, radio, billboards, and newspaper ads. A large chunk of this budget was spent on displaying ads on the Las Vegas Sphere at a cost of $450,000 per day. Despite these efforts and expenditures, Harris's campaign failed to win the presidential election.
Campaign comparison
Harris's campaign spending exceeded Trump's
In contrast to Harris's campaign, OpenSecrets reported that President-elect Trump's official campaign spent much less, at $345 million. Jimmy Keady, a former Republican staffer and strategist, weighed in on this disparity. He said, "It doesn't matter how much money you spend if your message isn't right. Kamala missed the mark." This indicates that strategic messaging may have been key to the election outcome.