Democratic Donors Withhold Support Amid Party Uncertainty

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Following the Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2024 election, donors are holding back funds, frustrated by what they see as a lack of vision and effective strategy. As the party struggles to regroup after Kamala Harris’s loss to Donald Trump, financial backers—from bundlers to grassroots supporters—are expressing deep dissatisfaction with the state of Democratic leadership.  

 

"I’ll be blunt here: The Democratic Party is f‑‑‑ing terrible. Plain and simple," said one major Democratic donor. "In fact, it doesn’t get much worse." Another donor shared a similar sentiment: "They want us to spend money, and for what? For no message, no organization, no forward thinking. … The thing that’s clear to a lot of us is that the party never really learned its lesson in 2016. They worked off the same playbook and the same ineffective strategies and to what end?"  

 

Many donors feel misled by party leaders, particularly during the 2024 campaign cycle. Until the June debate, they had been assured that President Joe Biden was capable of defeating Trump again. However, when Biden’s poor debate performance raised serious concerns about his age and ability, donors felt betrayed. Even after Harris took over as the Democratic nominee, financial backers poured significant resources into a campaign that ultimately relied on outdated strategies. Harris’s loss left morale among Democrats at an all-time low.  

 

"This is worse than 2016," said the first donor. "Our party is so weak and so diminished."  

 

Steve Schale, who directed the pro-Biden super PAC Unite the Country, acknowledged the frustration. While some donor reluctance stems from post-election fatigue, he admitted, "There is genuine frustration."  

 

"I’ve talked to a number of donors who just don’t have a lot of confidence after 2024 and want to see how people are thinking about issues differently," Schale said. "Donors are taking calls, but they’re asking harder questions, which I think is a good thing. Frankly, a lot of donors I’ve talked to don’t think their voice mattered in 2024, so I’ve been doing more listening than talking."  

 

Douglas Wilson, a political consultant in North Carolina, noted that many donors remain hesitant to contribute freely again. With Democrats out of power, their ability to enact meaningful change is limited. According to Wilson, some donors feel that Democratic leaders in Congress are not "fighting back hard enough" for major reforms.  

 

"This is having a trickle-down effect," Wilson said. "Grassroots donors want to see more fight and less text message requests asking for contributions."  

A Democratic National Committee strategist echoed these concerns, saying uncertainty about the party’s direction is discouraging high-level donors from giving. Some believe Democrats cannot defeat Trump-style candidates, prompting them to withhold financial support.  

 

"Folks are saying right now, ‘What’s the Democratic Party to me as an investment?’ I’m hearing from DNC members—they don’t really believe where we’re at right now. They don’t believe that we can counter Trump, so why lose dollars?" the strategist said.  

 

Others argue that Democrats should shift away from relying on major donors and instead focus on small-dollar contributions. Many believe the party needs to rebuild credibility with working-class voters, who have grown increasingly wary of corporate influence. Some moderates even suggest adopting the grassroots fundraising model popularized by Senator Bernie Sanders.  

 

"If corporations and big donors are now rejecting the party, where else can they go for money if they’re not doing it the Bernie Sanders way?" the strategist added.  

 

Schale predicts that Democratic fundraising will look different in future cycles, with more groups raising smaller sums rather than relying on a single super PAC or the DNC. "I believe we will see more groups raising smaller numbers, as donors look to invest in different things," he said. "I think this is healthy, as we learned in 2020 when a ton of groups were at the table."  

 

Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist, believes donors will eventually return to the party as Trump’s policies become more aggressive toward progressive values. However, he acknowledges that many are still processing the emotional aftermath of the campaign.  

 

"For a lot of Democrats, it’s like we had a heartbreak and one way to deal with heartbreak is to curl up on your couch and eat ice cream," Simmons said. "But one way that will help them get over the heartbreak is how infuriating the new guy is."  

 

As the 2026 election cycle approaches, Simmons expects donors to reengage, particularly if the party can present more compelling candidates. "Democrats like to be inspired, so having more inspirational candidates will make that easier," he said.

 

Based on a report by The Hill  2025-02-26