The Kamala Harris campaign has faced criticism for its recent Zoom fundraisers, which have been targeted at specific races and genders. Critics have accused the campaign of harkening back to "segregation" and engaging in "racist" behavior.
The Kamala Harris campaign's recent Zoom fundraisers have sparked controversy, with critics accusing the campaign of harkening back to "segregation." The events, which have targeted specific races and genders, have been met with scorn on social media.
One user on X said, "The Kamala Harris campaign is bringing segregation back in style again." Another critic said of the events, "It’s all about race with you guys."
Kamala Harris's Race-Based Fundraisers Raise Eyebrows, Accusations of Segregation
The Harris campaign's "White Dudes for Harris" event, scheduled for Monday, has been particularly widely panned. Some critics have called the event "racist" and "cringy," while others have called it "condescending."
Conservative radio host Jason Rantz told Fox News Digital, "There’s nothing more ‘progressive’ than self-loathing White guys with low self-esteem, man buns, and a gender studies degree from SUNY Binghamton thinking if they sign up for something as condescending as this that they’ll make their first Black female friend and maybe get a date. This qualifies as ‘trying too hard’ and is so desperate as to likely backfire."
Kamala Harris's Race-Based Fundraisers Raise Eyebrows, Accusations of Segregation
Others have poked fun at potential participants in the events, arguing that it would target men who are soft or weak. "This will be the most Beta gathering in history," one user argued.
Despite the criticism, the unique Zoom fundraising effort has been at least somewhat successful. Close to 100,000 Black men and women raised nearly $2 million before the "Karen’s for Kamala" call had over 160,000 join the call.
Kamala Harris's Race-Based Fundraisers Raise Eyebrows, Accusations of Segregation
The Harris campaign has dismissed the critics, noting that former President Donald Trump has engaged in similar tactics. "I’m a bit confused. This is what campaigns do is build coalition groups. Latino Americans for Trump for example," Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz told Fox News Digital.
According to a report from the New York Post, allies for Trump in Congress have been holding events tailored towards the Black community, including get-out-the-vote events titled "Cigars, Cognac, and Congress" that have been hosted in predominantly Black communities.
Kamala Harris's Race-Based Fundraisers Raise Eyebrows, Accusations of Segregation
Trump has also aggressively courted Hispanic voters, with the campaign rebranding its outreach to the demographic last month by launching the "Latino Americans for Trump" at a rally in Las Vegas, according to a report from NBC News, ditching the former "Latinos for Trump" slogan for a new one that chooses to emphasize that Latinos are Americans.
"Whether you’re African American, Latino American, Asian American, European American, wherever you come from, we are all American," Jaime Florez, the Hispanic communications director for the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign, told NBC News.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
The Harris campaign's fundraising efforts have sparked a debate about the role of race and gender in politics. Some argue that the events are a legitimate way to build coalitions and increase voter turnout, while others say they are divisive and reminiscent of the past.
