WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris tapped into her California roots with a Democratic Party fundraiser on Friday, which she used to make the Biden administration’s case for new voting rights legislation.
Harris told donors that although the 2022 midterm elections are still more than a year away, they needed to begin their work now.
“And here’s the truth. Our majorities in the House and the Senate are incredibly slim. OK? They are. And we know that Democrats are going to need big voter turnout in 2022 to hang on to the House and the Senate,” Harris said. “And in states across the country, there are some who are pushing legislation that would make it more difficult for people to vote. I believe, with the hope that people just won’t vote.”
The event was billed to California donors as a “virtual homecoming” for Harris, according to a Democratic National Committee official. Harris was attorney general of California and represented the state in the U.S. Senate before serving as vice president.
California Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis introduced Harris at the virtual fundraiser, saying she recognized many longtime supporters of the vice president.
“She brings California with her to Washington. She brings California values. She brings California’s optimism, and perhaps most important of all, Vice President Harris brings California’s know-how to Washington, D.C.,” said Kounalakis.
Kounalakis said Harris once told her, “No matter what, don’t let anybody make you feel small.”
“I remembered this story, because no matter who you are, even the first woman Vice President of the United States, there will be people out there who will use those tropes to try to minimize you and make you feel small and make you look small to others. The best antidote for this, I have learned in my life, are your friends. Your friends, your supporters and your networks,” Kounalakis said.
The fundraiser had California co-hosts, the DNC official said, but did not provide the donors’ names. The official also declined to say how much money the event that a “few hundred people” attended was projected to raise but said the funds would go to the national party.
Although the virtual fundraiser has California ties, donors and supporters from other parts of the country will also be in attendance, the official said.
Hosts of the event need to donate or raise $36,500, while co-hosts are required to contribute $20,000, according to a copy of the save-the-date for the fundraiser obtained by McClatchy. For lesser donation amounts, participants were invited to be sponsors, leaders, supporters, champions, friends or advocates of the organization. Those donation amounts ranged from $5,000 to $100 per person.
The event marks Harris’ second fundraiser for the DNC in the last month. She also helmed a pride celebration fundraiser for the Democratic Party at the end of June. President Joe Biden appeared at a virtual fundraising reception for the DNC the same week.
“The DNC is going to need you, because here’s the deal: We won in 2020 as a unified party, and we need to stay unified and keep doing the big consequential things,” Biden told donors during the event.
According to their latest campaign finance filings, the DNC raised $12.1 million in May, while the Republican National Committee collected $11.1 million. The DNC had $59.8 million on hand at the end of the month, compared to $78.8 million for the RNC. Both committees are required to report their June fundraising totals later this month.
