Democrats are eager to rebuild their party following President Trump's victory in November. But they have a big problem as they try to remake their brand: the money isn't there.
From banders to small donors, Democrats say they are still angry at the election outcome and have not been inspired by what their side has proposed since.
“I'm going to be dull here. Democrats are terrible. One major Democrat donor said, “In fact, it's not that bad.”
The second donor was equally pointed out. “Do they want us to spend money? There's no message, no organization or positive thoughts,” the donor said. “What's clear to many of us is that in 2016, the parties never really learned lessons. They solved the same playbook and the same inefficient strategies and what would be over. ”
Much of the surprises among the donor community stem from the unprecedented 2024 election cycle, with many feeling misled by the party and former president Biden's reelection campaign. Until the democratic debate in June, donors and fundraisers were led to believe that Biden could beat Trump again, even if many had serious reservations about it.
When Biden failed the argument badly and burned fear about his age, it felt like the donors continued to hoodwink them despite expressing their concerns outside of AIDS .
And even when former Vice President Kamala Harris took the reins as a Democratic candidate, donors say they poured gobs of money into a campaign that ultimately implemented an outdated strategy.
Then Harris lost. And since then, Democrats' morale has been in the trench.
“This is worse than 2016,” the first Democrat donor said. “Our party is very weak and very diminished.”
Democrat strategist Steve Schör, who was director of Providen's super PAC “Unity,” said some of the donor's unwillingness to resist fatigue.
However, Cher admitted that he was “truly frustrated.”
“We've spoken with a lot of donors who have less confidence since 2024 and who want to see how people think about the issue,” he said.
He says while the donors are calling, they say, “I ask harder questions than I think are good.”
“Frankly, many of the donors I've spoken to listen to them rather than speak because they don't think their voices are important in 2024,” added Cher.
North Carolina-based political consultant Douglas Wilson is working on a democratic race fundraiser and said donors are “half of the fence” on whether to contribute to freedom again. Democrats don't have power, so there's little they can do other than fight from a disadvantaged position. And some donors don't feel that Capitol Hill's Democratic leader is “working hard enough” for massive reforms, Wilson said.
“It has a trickle-down effect,” Wilson said. “Grassroots donors want to make contributions for more fights and fewer text messages requests.”
Another veteran campaign strategist who works closely with the Democratic National Committee said there is general uncertainty about the direction the party goes to win.
The strategist said high-level donors are unlikely to give when they don't know what the plan is. Some say they don't believe Democrats can beat Trump-style candidates, so I'm sitting for now
“People are now asking, 'What is Democrat for me as an investment?' [DNC] Members, they really don't believe where we are now. They don't believe we can compete with Trump, so why lose the dollar? “The strategist said.
Others suggest that Democrats need to rely more on large donors and small donations to be reliable in the constituents they are trying to win. The working class coalition says many people need it in court. It shows a dislike for business spending, and even some moderates have the potential to see a small dollar model popularized by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as the best path to the next cycle. It suggests that there is.
“If businesses and large donors are rejecting the party, can we go for other money if we haven't done that in Bernie Sanders' way?” the strategist said. Ta.
Schale predicted that the future of fundraising would look different to how it has in the past few cycles.
He said, “Not so much that there are moments when Spigot is turned on for DNC or a selected super PAC.
“I believe we will see more groups increase the number of small numbers as donors are trying to invest in a variety of things,” Cher said. “I think this is healthy, as I learned when I was at the table in 2020.”
Democrat strategist Jamal Simmons said donors will also return to fold organically when they see Trump becoming increasingly hostile to progressive values. But for now, Simmons said the donors are still working on the aftermath of an emotional and raucous campaign.
“For many Democrats, we have a broken heart and one way to deal with a broken heart is by curling up on the couch and eating ice cream,” he said. “But one way that can help them overcome their broken heart is how insane the new guy is.
And as the 2026 cycle approaches inches, Simmons said he hopes donors will reunite.
“Democrats want to be inspired, so having more inspirational candidates will make it easier,” he said.
