The Debt That Wouldn’t Die: Democrats Still Paying for Harris’ Defeat

The DNC is still paying for Kamala’s loss…

In the first half of 2025, the Democratic National Committee poured more than $15 million into retiring Harris’ campaign debts, leaving the party with only $15 million cash on hand at July’s end. By contrast, Republicans — supercharged by Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s fundraising juggernaut — reported $80 million. The gap has become a chasm, and frustration within the party has deepened with it.

Donors have not forgotten that Harris’ campaign incinerated $1.5 billion over 15 weeks, only to lose all seven swing states. Some now hesitate to open their wallets as Democrats try to pivot toward the 2026 midterms. Harris has lent her email list and hosted modest events, but returns have been “disappointing,” two people familiar with the matter told Axios.

“The vice president has collaborated closely with the DNC to manage campaign expenses and expand our base of grassroots donors. She remains fully committed to strengthening the party and helping return Democrats to power,” Jen O’Malley Dillon, Harris’ former campaign chair, said. The DNC itself declined to comment.

Financial disclosures show the party has been paying down big-ticket items: $548,050 to Executive Fliteways Inc. for charter flights, $2.125 million to Assembly House LLC for media production, and $237,201 to Covington & Burling. Meanwhile, Harris’ allies argue she is being scapegoated, saying the criticism is an effort to deflect from new DNC chair Ken Martin, who they claim has focused more on profile-building than on raising money.

More over at Axios:

New: Democrats are still paying for Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump last year — literally.

The DNC has paid more than $15 million toward paying off Harris 2024 campaign expenses in the first 6 months of 2025.

My look into the party finger-pointing.https://t.co/Yzu25GpH9Q

— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) August 25, 2025