Harris loses donor support as Dems seek ‘new blood’ for 2028: ‘She wouldn’t appeal to swing voters’

WASHINGTON, DC: Support for another presidential bid from Kamala Harris appears to be fading fast, according to a new report suggesting that even some of her biggest financial backers are quietly moving on after Democrats’ bruising 2024 loss.

Political allies and former aides have reportedly stopped short of offering strong endorsements for the failed 2024 nominee. Major donors also appear to be following suit, according to the Los Angeles Times.

In interviews with former fundraisers and donors who poured more than $1 million into Harris’ 2024 campaign, several appeared far from eager to jump back on board.

“I think it is too early to pick a favorite in the 2028 race, but Kamala Harris will not be my candidate,” one donor anonymously told the outlet. “I don’t think she would appeal to a swing voter, and we need swing voters to win.”

Democratic donors seek fresh leadership beyond Kamala Harris

Harris’ shaky 2024 campaign still appears to be hanging over discussions about the Democratic Party’s future.

She became the Democratic nominee just 107 days before the general election after then-President Joe Biden was effectively pushed aside following his disastrous debate performance against candidate Donald Trump. Trump would go on to win the popular vote and sweep all seven battleground states.

Some Democratic insiders now appear eager to turn the page.

“I don’t think it’s a helpful narrative [for 2028] to start with the 2024 hangover,” one anonymous fundraiser for Harris’ 2024 campaign said. “There is an enormous appetite for new blood, something fresh, something that really represents the future, not the past.”

Harris, who recently ruled out a run for governor in her home state of California, has hinted she “might” seek the presidency again. But even some longtime Democratic strategists are openly questioning whether voters are ready for a sequel campaign.

“She’s run, she’s lost, so the question’s going to be, is there somebody that gives Democratic voters more of a sense that they could win?” said Dick Harpootlian, a longtime South Carolina Democratic strategist. “That’s what all of us are looking for. We want to win in ‘28.”

South Carolina Democrats wary of Kamala Harris return

South Carolina remains one of the Democratic Party’s most important proving grounds, with its diverse electorate often viewed as a better reflection of the national party base than early states like Iowa or New Hampshire.

The state has historically helped revive struggling campaigns and solidify front-runners, making opinions there especially significant. But one of the state’s most influential Democrats, James E Clyburn, did not exactly sound eager to lead a Harris comeback campaign.

“I’m not thinking about 2028, and if she were to call me I wouldn’t talk to her about it,” Clyburn said when asked about Harris’ prospects.

Clyburn has previously praised Gavin Newsom as a strong future presidential contender, fueling speculation that some Democrats may already be eyeing new leadership.

That sentiment appears to extend beyond party operatives.

Reed Hastings, the co-founder of Netflix, donated $1 million to the pro-Harris super PAC Future Forward during the 2024 cycle. However, he reportedly suggested he sees Newsom as the stronger option moving forward.

“Gavin is the candidate who can motivate both the left and the center,” Hastings said. 

Kamala Harris faces lingering donor doubts

According to the report, several major Democratic donors either declined to discuss Harris publicly, ignored requests for comment, or signaled they were searching for a fresher face capable of energizing exhausted voters after the party’s 2024 defeat.

“There were others connected to Future Forward who felt the same way,” the report said.

“A lot of people love her and also don’t think that she is the answer for 2028,” one fundraiser added.

Some Democrats reportedly believe Harris carries too much political baggage from the 2024 loss and worry voters may continue to associate her with a failed national campaign.

Others argue she faces what one insider described as a “real burden” in trying to defend her past record in Washington while convincing voters she represents something new.