Democrats are increasingly worried that pouring large sums of money into campaigns and party infrastructure may no longer be enough to reverse their political fortunes, The Hill reported Wednesday.
According to the outlet, multiple Democratic strategists and major donors admit the party is grappling with deeper issues that cash alone can’t fix—chief among them, a failure to craft messaging that truly resonates with voters.
The concerns follow the party’s devastating defeat in the 2024 presidential election, where former Vice President Kamala Harris dramatically outraised President Donald Trump but still came up short.
“The challenges that Democrats are having right now you can’t completely buy your way out of,” Democratic strategist Joel Payne told The Hill. “You can’t spend your way out of the type of political challenge that we’re in right now. It’s going to take more than spending and trying to overwhelm the other side with your bank account.”
Some Democratic donors told The Hill they plan to withhold contributions ahead of the 2026 midterm elections unless the party can address its current shortcomings and demonstrate meaningful progress.
“Nothing raises money more than winning,” John Morgan, a well-known personal injury attorney and major Democratic donor, told The Hill. “When sports teams are losing, even the people with season tickets don’t go.”
Morgan also stated to The Hill that he believes Democrats should concentrate on the 2026 congressional seats that are deemed toss-ups. “You got to put your money in those toss-up seats,” Morgan told the outlet. “That’s got to be first on the agenda.”
An anonymous Democratic donor told The Hill they believe the party is “losing the airwaves” in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, warning that Democrats need to “start to wake up” before they “lose again.”
“Why would I write a check when we’re losing everything? We’re losing the airwaves,” the anonymous donor told the outlet. “We’re losing the tech battle. We’re losing the ground game. They have yet to prove that they have learned any real lessons yet.” The person added: “So either people start to wake up or we lose again.”
The Democratic Party is also contending with a string of recent polls showing sagging favorability among Americans. A May Economist/YouGov survey found that just 36% of voters had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, compared to 41% who viewed the Republican Party favorably.
