(NewsNation) — The Kamala Harris campaign is now $20 million in debt, and Lindy Li, a member of the DNC Finance Committee, said she and others were misled about the vice president’s chances of winning the election.
Li said she helped raise millions for the campaign and is now left trying to explain to voters why Harris lost.
Vendors and staff are also worried they may not get paid for their work.
The Harris campaign is trying to dig out of debt nearly a week after losing on Election Day, with much of the spending going toward digital media, advertising, polling and travel between states.
According to reports, the campaign spent six figures building a set for Harris’ appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast with host Alex Cooper.
A source familiar with the campaign confirmed to NewsNation that the campaign is $20 million in the hole after Nov. 5, even though the campaign took in at least $1 billion and reported $118 million in the bank as of Oct. 16.
Another big-ticket item was $15 million spent on event production that went toward celebrity performances, like the election eve rally with Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
Harris also reportedly paid $1 million to Harpo Productions, which is owned by Oprah Winfrey, who did a town hall with Harris back in September and appeared at that election eve rally in Philadelphia.
“It takes remarkable incompetence to spend $1 billion in 90 days, lose market share, allow Donald Trump’s election and end up in debt,” a Democratic source told NewsNation.
In some ways, the Harris campaign is still fundraising despite the loss, sending emails asking for donations.
But those donations are partially being redirected toward a vote recount effort.
When you click donate, that link takes you to Act Blue, and the fine print suggests the vice president’s campaign may be launching a recount effort.
The fine print reads that the first $41,300/$15,000 from a person/multicandidate committee PAC will be donated to the Democratic National Committee, but the next $3,300/$5,000 would be donated to a recount account.
President-elect Donald Trump won with 312 Electoral College votes, including votes from all seven battleground states.
One GOP strategist put it this way: “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” giving the example of John Kerry having been criticized for still having $14 million in the bank after his 2004 campaign.
The strategist, though, called Harris’ debt egregious and suggested her team was panic spending.
Trump also weighed in on the issue, suggesting on Truth Social that Republicans might help cover the Democrat’s debts.