A former Democratic fundraiser has publicly detailed what she describes as Kamala Harris’s strategic positioning with top donors in the days leading up to President Joe Biden’s decision to suspend his 2024 reelection campaign.
Lindy Li, a former fundraiser for both Biden and Harris who previously served with the Democratic National Committee (DNC), alleges in interviews and a forthcoming book that Harris’s team avoided public criticism of Biden while privately courting donors who could later support her own bid for the nomination. Li, who has since switched party affiliation, asserts that Harris’s actions were part of a calculated effort to secure financial backing ahead of a potential transition in the race.
Li’s account, shared exclusively with Fox News Digital and detailed in her book Unburdened, describes Harris’s team as enforcing a self-imposed restriction on staff discussing her potential ascension to the nomination, even as internal discussions acknowledged Biden’s declining viability following his June 2024 debate performance.
Key developments in Li’s account
Li, who worked closely with both the Biden and Harris campaigns on fundraising efforts, states that Harris hosted private donor calls where she publicly expressed unwavering support for Biden while privately signaling her readiness to step into a leading role. According to Li, Harris’s team framed these interactions as part of a unified Democratic front, despite what Li describes as behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
"I was on the call; she would host calls with donors and pretend to support Biden and say there's no daylight between Biden and herself. All the while she was auditioning for those very donors," Li told Fox News Digital. She added that Harris’s team avoided any public criticism of Biden, even as internal assessments within the Democratic Party questioned his ability to continue the campaign.
Li’s claims are part of a broader critique she has shared since Biden’s exit from the race, arguing that key Democratic figures recognized Biden’s struggles but remained publicly silent. She describes the period leading up to Biden’s withdrawal as a period of strategic ambiguity, where Harris’s team balanced loyalty to Biden with preparations for a potential shift in the party’s direction.
Reactions and broader context
Li’s account has been presented as part of her broader critique of the Democratic Party’s handling of Biden’s campaign, which she argues was marked by hubris and a failure to address early warning signs of his decline. In her book, she details conversations with other Democratic insiders who, like her, had observed Biden’s struggles but did not publicly challenge his candidacy.
The allegations come amid reporting on Harris’s efforts to shore up support across the Democratic base, including outreach to progressive figures such as Socialist Mayor Mamdani of Milwaukee, as part of her broader campaign preparations. Li’s claims have not been independently verified by other outlets, and Harris’s campaign has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Background on Li’s transition
Li, who served as a fundraiser for the DNC and contributed to both the Biden and Harris campaigns, announced her switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in 2024. She has since become a vocal critic of the Democratic leadership, citing what she describes as a lack of transparency and strategic missteps within the party. Her book, Unburdened, is set to be released in the coming months and expands on her observations about the Democratic Party’s internal dynamics during the 2024 election cycle.