Lindy Li, a member of the Democratic National Committee finance committee, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, calling it a “$1 billion disaster” and demanding accountability after Donald Trump’s victory. Li expressed frustration during a television interview and stated that she and others had been misled about Harris’ chances in the election, highlighting the significant debt the campaign is facing. Campaign filings indicated that Harris’ campaign took in at least $1 billion, with the total rising to over $1.6 billion when combined with other groups.
Leading up to Election Day, Harris positioned herself as the underdog in the race, warning that it would be a close contest. In July, Harris was endorsed by Joe Biden after he dropped out of the race amid a backlash from Democrats following a poor debate performance. Li had initially praised Biden but later criticized the way he swiftly endorsed Harris after exiting the race, referring to it as an “f you” to the party. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also expressed dissatisfaction with Biden’s handling of his withdrawal from the race.
Li expressed feeling misled by top campaign officials, including campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, regarding Harris’ chances in the election. O’Malley Dillon later sent out a memo to staff acknowledging the loss and attributing it to external factors that were out of their control. Despite the loss, O’Malley Dillon praised the team for their efforts in what she described as a margin-of-error race that saw minimal movement in battleground states compared to the rest of the country.
In the 2024 election, Trump secured a resounding victory by winning all seven battleground states and receiving the largest amount of popular votes for a Republican presidential candidate in US history. Following the election, Democrats have been engulfed in a blame game and finger-pointing over their defeat. Trump is scheduled to meet with Biden in the Oval Office as part of the transition of power. Li’s criticism of Harris’ campaign finances and the handling of Biden’s withdrawal from the race has added to the scrutiny faced by Democrats in the aftermath of the election.
Li’s comments about the failed Harris campaign and the finger-pointing within the Democratic Party reflect the challenges faced by the party in the wake of Trump’s victory. The significant debt incurred by Harris’ campaign and the perception of being misled by campaign officials have added to the internal turmoil within the party. The criticism of Biden’s rapid endorsement of Harris after dropping out of the race has further fueled discontent among Democrats. As Trump prepares to meet with Biden for the transition, the Democratic Party is grappling with the aftermath of a historic defeat and working towards unity and accountability moving forward.
