The Kamala Harris campaign’s lavish spending on celebrities during her 2024 presidential bid has come under scrutiny, with reports revealing millions of dollars spent on securing star power for her campaign. The most notable expenditure, according to the Washington Examiner, was a $1 million payment to Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions on October 15th. This payment followed a star-studded town hall hosted by Winfrey for Harris in September, where Winfrey offered a rare endorsement of a presidential candidate. Winfrey’s support was further demonstrated at Harris’ final rally in Philadelphia on the eve of Election Day.
However, Winfrey wasn’t the only celebrity who received a hefty sum from the Harris campaign. The Examiner reported that the campaign spent six figures on building a set for Harris’s appearance on the popular “Call Her Daddy” podcast, hosted by Alex Cooper. The interview, filmed in a Washington, D.C. hotel room, was released in October.
The Harris campaign’s spending wasn’t limited to individual celebrities. In the final weeks leading up to the election, the campaign reportedly spent up to $20 million on swing state concerts featuring various artists. These events included performances by Jon Bon Jovi in Detroit, Christina Aguilera in Las Vegas, Katy Perry in Pittsburgh, Lady Gaga in Philadelphia, and 2 Chainz in Atlanta.
While the campaign’s efforts to attract voters with celebrity endorsements were significant, they ultimately proved unsuccessful. Republican political strategist Brad Todd expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such spending, stating that “money can’t buy you love or a good candidate.” While he acknowledged the importance of advertising in reaching swing voters, Todd emphasized that the campaign’s message and delivery were ultimately lacking.
“Advertising is a pretty important source of information for swing voters,” Todd said. “It no doubt matters, but it’s not enough. It doesn’t matter if you have the wrong message and it’s not delivered in a compelling way. What her campaign was missing was any effort to break with the unpopular administration she has been a part of.” The Harris campaign has yet to respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
