The Democratic National Committee began 2026 facing financial strain — in debt and nearly $100 million behind its Republican counterpart — when it made a $6.5 million investment in the final weeks of 2025 to purchase former Vice President Kamala Harris’s email list of supporters, according to a recent report in The New York Times.
That money quickly flowed back into helping Harris settle lingering expenses from her 2024 presidential campaign.
Federal filings show that Harris’s political organization, Fight for the People PAC, spent nearly $7 million in December 2025, largely on presidential campaign expenses that had not previously been disclosed as debts. Those payments included $4 million to a media production company, nearly $200,000 to a polling firm and $99,100 to an events management company tied to The Roots, the hip-hop band that performed at Harris’s final rally in Philadelphia.
DNC officials have defended the purchase of Harris’s coveted supporter list, which helped the 2024 nominee raise $1.5 billion in just 15 weeks. They argue it is a long-term investment that will ultimately generate far more in small-dollar donations for a cash-strapped party preparing for difficult House and Senate battles.
Still, the transaction has drawn scrutiny within Democratic ranks. Tim Lim, a DNC member set to host a May fundraiser, questioned the transparency of the 2024 campaign’s finances and what lessons should be learned from the experience.
Harris adviser Kirsten Allen dismissed concerns, saying extended reconciliation periods after presidential campaigns are standard as invoices are processed and refunds issued.
After the 2024 election, Harris’s team said there would be no debts reported in subsequent filings. While technically accurate, federal records show the DNC covered roughly $22 million in campaign costs after the election, nearing the legal cap on expenses a party committee can assume.
Party Chairman Ken Martin has said he is prioritizing early investments — including voter registration efforts and strengthening state parties — that he believes will pay dividends before the midterms. DNC communications director Rosemary Boeglin pointed to Democratic overperformance in races since President Trump’s inauguration, pledging continued investment as the party looks to reclaim congressional majorities.
