The Wall Street Journal reported that some donors refused to give to the party until it gave ‘plans to win elections
Democratic donors reportedly backed out of a major fundraising event for former Vice President Kamala Harris, with one even sending a “profanity-laced rejection,” according to a report Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has been struggling to raise money during President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
According to several people “familiar with the conversations,” the DNC attempted to reach out to major donors earlier this year through the San Francisco-based fundraiser, but most had declined.
“Upon receiving the invitation, one replied with a profanity-laced rejection,” the report read. “Others said they didn’t want to give to the party until it produced substantive plans to win elections. Those who declined told the national party they had commitments and couldn’t make it work.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that the DNC eventually found a donor to host the event but it “raised less than organizers had hoped.”
It added that this reaction, as well as a significant decrease in funding, could be a response to frustrations over Harris’ failed presidential campaign and a lack of a new game plan for the midterm elections.
“A top official at a national Democratic group said some donors remain angry about how their money was spent in last year’s presidential election by outside groups, including on what they see as excessive salaries for Washington, D.C., consultants. The official said the party has failed to complete a public postelection investigation into what went wrong in 2024,” the report said.
Rachel Pritzker, chair of the think tank Third Way, also told The Wall Street Journal, “It is shocking how little reassessment the party and its leadership has done.”
However, some were more optimistic about the party’s chances, with some donors reportedly focusing more on state-level elections, like Abigail Spanberger’s bid for Virginia governor.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the DNC has about $12 million in cash reserves compared to the $86 million held by the Republican National Committee. Though some told The Wall Street Journal that this was a reflection of the party that is out of power raising less money. Others believed it is a sign of the growing schism between progressive and establishment candidates.
