By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Senior National
Correspondent
Black Democratic operatives and minority-owned firms are raising alarms over spending practices in Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. They accuse the campaign of favoring white-owned vendors while sidelining Black-owned firms. The controversy, first reported by NOTUS, a nonprofit newsroom created by the Allbritton Journalism Institute, has caused growing frustration among Democratic leaders, operatives, and donors. Many fear that these missteps could harm Harris’ standing with voters of color in the crucial weeks before Election Day.
Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, expressed frustration in an August call with Harris’s campaign. Alongside other prominent Black leaders, Johnson questioned why minority-owned political firms—historically integral to Democratic campaigns—were not receiving a fair share of the campaign’s record-breaking fundraising, nearly $1 billion since Harris became the Democratic nominee.
“If Black voters are the base, it should be Black vendors telling the story,” a participant on the call told NOTUS. Yet despite pressing the issue, many left the conversation with no clear resolution. Johnson and other leaders reportedly vowed to escalate their concerns, demanding transparency on how the campaign allocates its funds and why there appears to be a lack of equitable spending with minority-owned firms.
One point of contention is Harris’ underinvestment in the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing more than 200 Black-owned newspapers and media companies collectively known as the Black Press of America. In June, the Harris campaign signed a modest $1.5 million advertising and partnership deal with NNPA, which pales compared to the near-billion-dollar fundraising total. The Black Press, which has been a trusted voice in Black communities for nearly 198 years, has long played a crucial role in informing and mobilizing Black voters.
Founded in New York in 1827, before the end of slavery, the Black Press of America remains a cornerstone of communication within Black communities. As the NNPA prepares to celebrate the Black Press’ 200th anniversary, many argue that a stronger investment from Harris, who has publicly vowed to support Black businesses, is warranted and necessary.
A Long-Standing Issue for Democrats
The marginalization of Black-owned political firms is not new to Democratic campaigns, but Harris’ candidacy has sharpened the issue. Black operatives and media companies argue that Harris’ campaign is following a pattern of taking Black vendors for granted despite their critical role in past Democratic victories.
Insiders say the problem is not just a Harris issue but one inherited from the Biden campaign, where similar grievances were raised in 2020. Still, the stakes are higher for Harris, who, as the first Black and Southeast Asian woman to lead a major party ticket, faces calls to align her campaign’s spending with her historic candidacy.
One Democratic consultant close to the campaign told NOTUS, “It’s not just the media. It’s the get-out-the-vote operations and grassroots efforts too. Every time we push for more Black spending, it’s met with resistance, and the amounts we’re talking about are just a fraction of what’s being spent on the general market. It’s getting pretty insulting.”
Internal Campaign Friction
Frustration has also been mounting within the campaign itself. NOTUS reported that sources close to the campaign said while Harris has repeatedly directed her team to prioritize spending with minority-owned vendors, that directive has not been consistently implemented. Over a dozen campaign staffers, vendors, and external advisers told NOTUS that they have seen little follow-through.
Minyon Moore, a close adviser to Harris and chair of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, emphasized that Harris values engaging voters through trusted voices from their communities. “Certainly, it is important to her that she reaches voters through the lens of people that can communicate with them,” Moore told NOTUS. “That’s her value system.”
Yet, many Black operatives feel the campaign is not meeting those values. Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks has come under fire for being unresponsive to internal and external requests for more equitable spending. Fulks is reportedly quick to reject proposals related to Black outreach efforts, frustrating many in the campaign with his budget handling. Some have even accused Fulks of downplaying the need for Black-owned firms, arguing that using white-owned firms with Black associates on the project should be seen as equivalent to hiring Black-owned vendors—an assertion that has only deepened the frustration among Black operatives.
A Lack of Investment Could Cost Support
The underinvestment in Black-owned firms goes beyond finances; it’s a problem that could threaten Harris’ standing with Black voters. In 2020, Black voters overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden, with 92% backing his candidacy, according to Pew Research. However, that support has softened in 2024. A recent poll from Howard University showed that Black voter support for Harris had dropped to 82%.
An even more troubling sign for the Harris campaign comes from a recent NAACP poll showing that one in four Black men under 50 now support Donald Trump. This shift is deeply concerning for Democrats, who have relied heavily on the Black vote in past elections. For many Black operatives, the solution is clear: Harris must direct more resources to Black-owned firms that know how to mobilize Black voters effectively.
Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, which targets Black voters, told NOTUS that while Harris has a compelling story, the real question is whether the campaign will spend enough to reach skeptical voters. “They very clearly understand the need to increase communication with Black voters,” Shropshire said. “But can they reach enough voters to turn enthusiasm into actual votes?”
Calls for Urgent Action
With only weeks left until Election Day, many operatives across racial lines call for swift course correction. While the Harris campaign has added some Black-owned firms, including HIT Strategies and Walton Isaacson, overall spending with minority-owned vendors remains significantly lower than with white-owned firms—a gap that could have lasting repercussions.
The amount of spending worries many operatives. In 2020, the Biden campaign spent over $70 million on paid media for Black audiences, yet this year’s Harris campaign is projected to spend far less, according to campaign consultants. Several key Black Democratic leaders, including Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford and campaign co-chair Marcia Fudge, have raised concerns in private meetings about the disparity in spending.
As Election Day draws nearer, the central question remains: “Who are you trusting to tell the story of the vice president?” asked one senior Democratic consultant. With Black voters being a critical component of the Democratic coalition, Harris’ campaign must act quickly to ensure it isn’t alienating the very base it relies on for success.
As the campaign scrambles to close the gap with voters, the pressure is mounting on Harris to ensure that her spending aligns with her promises. The frustration from Black operatives is clear: unless swift and decisive action is taken, the campaign risks losing the trust of Black communities and the businesses that have long supported the Democratic Party.
