Kamala Harris wins donations from Democratic voters across Louisiana

Kamala Harris’ nascent run for president has inspired voters across the state to donate to her — some of whom had never before given to a political campaign.

Harris, the vice president, is the likely Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden quit the race on Sunday and endorsed her. Over the next 24 hours, her campaign reported a whopping $81 million in donations.

It’s unclear how many of those came from Louisianans. Such data is not yet available from the Federal Election Commission, and Harris’ campaign did not return an inquiry.

But over two dozen Louisianans said this week that they were among those who gave to her campaign. Some were relieved that Biden had dropped out after his disastrous debate performance June 27. Others were excited by Harris’ track record and thrilled by the possibility of the country’s first female president.

Helena Moreno, the president of the New Orleans City Council and a Democratic delegate, said Harris’ candidacy has energized Democrats.

“People throughout New Orleans…are constantly reaching out to me, to my office, (to ask) how they can get involved, what they can do to volunteer,” she said. “There is a very invigorated constituency.”

Louisiana’s Democratic National Committee delegates quickly lined up behind Harris after Biden endorsed her. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, which according to Open Secrets has given nearly $400,000 to Democratic groups and candidates during the current election cycle, also appears poised to back Harris.

“(Biden’s) administration has been a tremendous partner for us, and I am confident that a Harris Administration would continue that partnership,” Marshall Pierite, chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, said in a statement. “Vice President Kamala Harris is just beginning her campaign, and as a delegate to the convention, I look forward to listening to ensure Indian Country’s needs are being met.”

Hoping for an alternative to Biden

Louisiana is deep red and will almost certainly give its electoral votes to Donald Trump, but that hasn’t dampened the excitement among voters eager to avoid a second Trump presidency.

Roland Darby, a 60-year-old teacher from the New Orleans area, said he was watching the news with his mother when they found out Biden had left the race.

“Within the hour of that announcement I actually got a text message asking for me to provide a donation (for Harris),” he said. “I had been getting that throughout this campaign season (and) I ignored it, but when I heard the announcement, I immediately donated without hesitation because I wanted to be a part of that.”

Darby is “terrified” by the prospect of another Trump presidency but was afraid of Biden’s chances, given his age and debate performance. With Harris, he feels hopeful again.

Darby also is excited that a biracial woman is within a grasp of the presidency.

“Being a Black man, any time you have a person of that prominence representing you and your culture, your race, there’s something about that that makes you invested,” he said.

‘I just hope more people donate to her’

Meanwhile, in Meraux, the news prompted another teacher, Bridget Derbyshire, to give to a campaign for the first time in her life.

“I like that she’s young, she’s energetic, she doesn’t mudsling, she I feel is someone who is going to get things done,” Derbyshire, 54, said of Harris, adding that the possibility of having the first woman president also motivated her.

Derbyshire said she does not vote based on political party but bases her decisions off the candidates. She was a registered Republican until 2018, when she switched her voter registration to Independent, she said.

Another first-time donor was Kevin Barnes, a 38-year-old from New Orleans who said he owns his own security company. For Barnes, it’s not Harris’ background but her qualifications that matter, he said. The vice president previously served as a U.S. senator and as California’s attorney general.

He gave $1,000, he said.

“It’s going to be an uphill battle for her. In order to really make her relevant she’s going to need money to run,” Barnes said. “I just hope more people donate to her.”

Other donors included Jason Petitjean, a 36-year-old physician from Covington, and Emily Rasch, a 27-year-old from Pearl River.

Bellah Bultron, a 20-year-old LSU student, said she gave $5 – what she could afford on her college budget.

Harris’ candidacy has excited her college friends, even some who are moderate or right-leaning.

Everyone is excited “to at the very least have another option,” Bultron said.

Where do bigger donors stand?

It’s unclear whether Harris can rely on support from some of the state’s biggest Democratic donors. Morris Bart, a trial attorney, declined comment through a spokesperson. His company, Morris Bart LLC, has given nearly $300,000 to Democratic groups and candidates during the 2024 election cycle, according to Open Secrets.

The Gordon McKernan Law Firm and MMR Group, an electrical contractor, did not provide comment.

McKernan’s group gave $150,000 to Napoleon PAC this election cycle, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates, Open Secrets shows. The group also directly gave smaller donations to several Republican candidates, and one Democratic contender.

MMR Group has given tens of thousands of dollars both to Republican and Democratic groups and candidates.

Meanwhile, the state’s Black sororities and fraternities are working to mobilize voters — particularly voters of color — through outreach efforts.

Those organizations typically do not endorse political candidates because of their nonprofit status. But their outreach efforts could prove a boon to Harris, who was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Brian Turner, the vice president of the Sigma Lambda chapter of the Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, said it’s a critical time to vote, especially on issues that could impact communities of color, Turner said.

“We want to make sure that people understand the issues, understand candidate positions,” he said, while noting that the fraternity does not endorse specific candidates.