Kamala Harris’s $20 million election-eve concerts featuring Lady Gaga and Katy Perry failed to secure swing states for the vice president, leaving her campaign in debt and vendors unpaid.
At a Glance
- Harris’s campaign ended with $20 million debt despite raising $1 billion
- Seven swing-state concerts held on election eve, all won by Donald Trump
- Concerts aimed to encourage “low-propensity voters” to support Harris
- Campaign chairwoman approved concerts but now distances herself from decision
- Vendors and workers facing unpaid invoices from concert events
Harris Campaign’s Costly Concert Strategy
Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign made a controversial decision to allocate $20 million towards organizing election-eve concerts starring Lady Gaga and Katy Perry in swing states. The strategy, aimed at rallying voter support and influencing turnout, backfired spectacularly as Donald Trump secured victories in all the targeted states.
The concerts, held in seven swing states on the eve of the election, were intended to mobilize “low-propensity voters” to cast their ballots for Harris. Despite the star-studded lineup and significant financial investment, the events failed to generate the desired electoral support for the vice president’s campaign.
Report: Kamala Harris Blew $20 Million on Election-Eve Concerts with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry in Swing States Where Trump Beat Her https://t.co/cmWtkhVNWV
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 9, 2024
Financial Mismanagement and Internal Tensions
The Harris campaign’s financial woes have come under scrutiny, with reports indicating that it ended with at least $20 million in debt despite raising an impressive $1 billion from donors. This financial mismanagement has left vendors and workers from the concerts facing unpaid invoices, raising questions about the campaign’s fiscal responsibility.
“They said they were ‘spending to zero.’ I guess they overshot zero,” one source said.
Internal tensions within the campaign reportedly arose after Harris replaced President Biden on the ticket. New team members attempted to replicate the success of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, with alumni Stephanie Cutter and David Plouffe supporting the concert idea. However, this strategy appears to have backfired, leaving the campaign in financial disarray.
Celebrity Endorsements Fall Flat
While pop stars like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry waived their performance fees, the campaign still incurred significant costs for staging, sound, and security. The reliance on celebrity endorsements to boost rally attendance and sway voters proved ineffective, as the concerts failed to generate substantial media coverage or voter enthusiasm.
Campaign chairwoman Jen O’Malley Dillon, who initially approved the concerts, is now reportedly distancing herself from the decision. Her indecision allegedly increased production costs, further straining the campaign’s budget. The role of campaign operations chief Dana Rosenzweig has also come under question due to apparent lapses in budget oversight.
“Jen [O’Malley Dillon] blew through a billion dollars in a few months, and it was all Jen’s idea to do all the concerts,” a campaign staffer said.
Aftermath and Ongoing Concerns
As the dust settles on the failed campaign strategy, finance staff are working to reconcile the campaign’s balance sheets. While no one has reportedly been left unpaid yet, there are growing concerns among vendors and staff about potential delays in receiving compensation for their services.
Did team Harris ever stop to think that good policy might have had a better impact on the campaign?
