Democrats asking fundraisers to secure $10M for Kamala Harris to appear — $3M only gets you Buttigieg: Source
With Kamala Harris installed as the Democratic presidential nominee less than three months before election day, fundraisers are being asked to guarantee $10 million in donations to secure her appearance at events, The Post has learned.
One longtime Democratic fundraiser boiled it down to “supply and demand.”
“Everyone wants to host Kamala,” another Democratic fundraiser said. “They’re desperate to get face time.”
That’s particularly true for ambitious democrats angling for an ambassadorship or a role in the administration.
One eager donor was told to come back when they had a few more co-hosts, which a source explained was likely a polite way “to put someone off.”
Harris’ coronation has also been a shot in the arm for the Democratic party as a whole, and other notable faces — such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo — are suddenly able to raise much more dough than at the beginning of the summer, according to sources.
For a high-level surrogate like Buttigieg or Raimondo, the campaign is looking for events to raise at least $1 million and some donors have been told they need to shoot for $3 million plus, the sources added.
Insiders say even despite setting huge targets, the newly energized democrats are blowing past them.
This week, donors hosting potential future first man Doug Emhoff were expected to raise $500,000 for the honor — but in two New York events this week he pulled in $650,000 at one event and nearly $1.5 million at another.
Anna Wintour, hosting her own event for surrogate Gina Raimondo this weekend, even popped by Tuesday’s NYC lunch along with more than 100 other attendees, a source added.
Given his success hauling in cash — and his surging popularity thanks to a viral Democratic National Convention speech — Emhoff could soon start commanding even more, sources add.
Harris’ newly announced running mate Tim Walz — a newcomer to the national speaking circuit — brought in more than $1 million at one recent Boston fundraiser. However, sources say donors are bound to need to be able to promise more as the election date draws closer.
Over the last month, as dozens of donors have pushed to host Harris, the campaign’s strategy for fundraising has changed. In the days following her ascension it wasn’t clear if, after an initial raise of $200 million in a week, the cash would continue to flow in.
At that time, campaign officials signaled to fundraisers Harris would consider an appearance for $3 million.
But as her war chest has swelled further to some $540 million, people close to the campaign say her time is better spent campaigning in swing states while the high-level surrogates fundraise in decidedly blue areas, meaning a much higher amount to make it worthwhile flying her in.
While Harris has raised a huge amount of money in a short period of time, she still has an overall total less than the Trump campaign, which has raised $575 million during the current election cycle, according to opensecrets.org
Sources say with such fierce competition across the board, hosts have to be serious — and deep pocketed.
In conversations ahead of an event, Democratic party officials will typically mention a number the host is expected to raise. If they can’t find the guests and meet the target, the expectation is they write a check to make up the difference.
“It’s either write or raise,” another political fundraiser added.
A spokesperson for the campaign told The Post it’s typical for the campaign to bring in more money as Election Day approaches. The DNC declined to comment.
One fundraiser told The Post he feels the donor class has done its part, “If she loses, it won’t be for lack of money.”
