The Democrat Party is fractured. The damage is worse than you’d expect.
And now liberal donors are saying this about Kamala Harris behind closed doors.
Kamala Harris Faces Donor Skepticism for Gubernatorial Bid
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is encountering significant pushback from California Democratic donors as she explores a potential run for governor, with some still frustrated over her 2024 presidential campaign’s failure against President Donald Trump.
According to a POLITICO report, Harris has been reaching out to trusted supporters to gauge interest, but many major contributors remain unenthusiastic, citing lingering resentment over the Democratic Party’s handling of the 2024 election.
The donor, speaking anonymously, said, “Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete s*** storm. With Biden, we got bamboozled … I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too.”
This sentiment reflects a broader unease among some donors, who feel the party’s missteps led to Trump’s victory and are wary of backing Harris in a high-stakes gubernatorial race. Harris has set a late-summer deadline to decide her next steps, which could include a 2028 presidential run or a philanthropic venture instead.
Accusations and Competition in the Race
Harris’s potential candidacy faces additional hurdles from within the Democratic Party.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a declared gubernatorial candidate, has accused both Harris and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, another contender, of being “complicit in a cover-up” regarding President Biden’s cognitive decline.
“Voters deserve to know the truth, what did Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra know, when did they know it, and why didn’t either of them speak out?” Villaraigosa said, arguing their silence contributed to Trump’s second term. These accusations could complicate Harris’s efforts to unify the party’s donor base and voters.
The race could also see a challenge from billionaire developer Rick Caruso, a former Republican who ran as a Democrat in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral race. Donors worry that a centrist like Caruso could exploit Harris’s vulnerabilities, particularly given her association with the 2024 loss.
“The donors that are here … know that this is her home state. She can win … but they also don’t want her to find herself in a spot of vulnerability, particularly if someone like a Rick Caruso comes into the race,” said Todd Hawkins, a longtime Harris bundler. Republican candidates, meanwhile, are reportedly eager to face Harris, viewing her as a weakened opponent due to her recent electoral defeat.
Donor Hesitation and Harris’s Path Forward
Harris’s outreach efforts, including private meetings during a June Democratic National Committee fundraiser in the Bay Area, have been described as social events with “an unmistakable subtext” about her political future. However, the response has been lukewarm.
“It’s very fair to say there’s not an overwhelming clamor” for her candidacy, said Scott Drexel, a Bay Area donor adviser, noting that Harris must actively work for the nomination.
“Every day that passes, there’s less of a sense of inevitability about her candidacy,” he added. Another Southern California fundraiser, speaking anonymously, expressed reluctance to revisit the “pathetic last presidential” campaign, citing Harris’s ties to Biden as a liability.
As Harris weighs her options, the lack of donor enthusiasm and the specter of a competitive primary field present significant challenges.
