Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is making history—but whether it’s helpful or not for her election chances is still up for debate. She is almost as unpopular as Hillary Clinton was in 2016 when you get right down to individual opinions and not polling questions that bring in the party factor.
According to Politico, Harris’ campaign, along with the Democratic National Committee (DNC), has chosen to spend over $25 million on down-ballot elections around the country. And get this—it’s happening much earlier and with a lot more money than in previous election years!
This move comes as Harris’s campaign finds itself on the defensive after failing to get that usual post-convention bump that most campaigns bank on. In fact, she and her top supporters were sent to traditionally blue states this week because—surprise—former President Donald Trump is showing more strength than expected in those areas. In fact, Trump just pulled ahead in Michigan, a must win state for Harris.
The timing of this big spending also follows a tough week for Harris’s campaign. It ended with some seriously bad press after a mishandled interaction with 13 Gold Star families, a controversy that turned into a huge mess. Watching her campaign is like watching a bunch of children who don’t have a clue as to what they are doing.
Now, even though the campaign is spinning it as a strategic move, the timing and amount of this down-ballot spending are pretty unusual. Politico explains it like this:
The transfers to support down-ballot races are notable both for their timing and large amounts. In 2020, the DNC transferred $5 million to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $1 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee [DSCC] in mid-October, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Earlier money gives the committees more spending options, as common campaign tactics such as hiring staff, taping ads or printing mailers take time.
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELIn a statement, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chair of the DSCC, said the funds will “help Senate Democrats reach more voters, increase the strength of our campaigns and ensure Democrats protect our Senate majority.”
But here’s where it gets really interesting: the amount of money being sent down-ballot this time around is way more than what we saw in 2020. We’re talking nearly $25 million, compared to just $6 million four years ago.
Why now? Well, when President Joe Biden stepped down from the campaign, rumors started flying that big donors were holding back their money and even suggesting a shake-up at the top of the ticket to avoid huge losses down the ballot.
Harris’s fundraising picked up steam after she was officially crowned as the new top of the ticket. But even with that momentum, this massive cash shift hints that she might be struggling to get voters fired up for those down-ballot races.
Here’s the thing. Most voters no longer vote a split ticket. They usually vote straight down the party line with who they vote for president. That’s because voters have gotten savvy over the years. They know that with the partisanship in Congress, a president who doesn’t have a lock on both houses of Congress will likely get litter to nothing done.
Sure, campaigns are always focused on winning in the current cycle, but political insiders know it’s also about setting things up for the future—building networks and infrastructure that will last beyond just one election.
Last week, Harris raised a few eyebrows by spending multiple days in Georgia. Some folks think she was there to support party-building efforts already underway in the Deep South, which could explain the time spent in such a key state.
All in all, it looks like Harris’s team and the Democratic Party may be looking for a fresh strategy as this year’s races heat up. But even with a big investment in the Senate, the map isn’t looking great for them.
Republican challengers like Bernie Moreno and Tim Sheehy are putting up strong fights against Democratic Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jon Tester (D-MT), and flipping just those two seats could hand Republicans control of the Senate. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, Republican Dave McCormick is running a solid campaign against Democratic Senator Bob Casey.
In several states, Republicans are performing better in the polls than anyone expected—yes, even in some traditionally blue states. And with Trump gaining momentum in the polls, his coattails might just pull others along with him.
So, while Democrats could shift focus from Harris to down-ballot races, the real question is: will there be enough money to go around?
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