Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, along with the Democratic National Committee (DNC), announced on Tuesday they are committing $25 million to support “down-ballot” races for Democrats seeking to win or retain House and Senate seats.
This significant investment signals a more prepared approach by Democrats compared to recent elections as they aim to regain control of the House of Representatives and maintain their Senate majority, according to a report by Politico.
The funding suggests that the Harris campaign, which has been raising substantial funds since Harris took the lead on the ticket following President Joe Biden’s departure from the race, is now channeling some of this money to help Democratic candidates in key races. It also indicates the campaign’s strategy to prevent legislative gridlock between the executive and legislative branches.
The Harris campaign has already outspent former President Donald Trump’s campaign by $47 million on digital advertising in its first month.
The $25 million funding will be divided as follows: $10 million from both the Harris campaign and the DNC to political action committees supporting Democratic congressional candidates, $2.5 million for state Democratic candidates, and an additional $1 million each for organizations focused on electing Democratic governors and attorneys general.
“Vice President Harris believes that this race is about mobilizing the entire country at every level to fight for our freedoms and economic opportunities,” said Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon in a statement. “That’s why she has made the decision to invest a historic sum into electing Democrats up and down the ballot.”
Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, added that the funds would “help Senate Democrats reach more voters, increase the strength of our campaigns, and ensure Democrats protect our Senate majority,” as quoted by Politico.
The surge in funding followed Biden’s exit from the race, which reassured major donors that the Democratic Party had a solid chance of winning the presidency.