If Kamala Harris ends up facing Donald Trump in November, she’ll be running against a former campaign donor.
California campaign finance records reveal that Trump contributed a total of $6,000 to Harris’ campaigns for attorney general between 2011 and 2013. Specifically, Trump made a $5,000 contribution to Harris’ campaign account in 2011 and added another $1,000 in 2013.
Interestingly, state records also show that Trump supported another potential rival, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, by donating $2,500 in 2009 to Newsom’s initial, unsuccessful gubernatorial bid.
It is worth noting that prior to his foray into politics in 2015, Trump was known for being a frequent campaign contributor to candidates from both major parties. During his initial presidential campaign, Trump defended his donations to Democrats by highlighting his ability to leverage these contributions for future favors, criticizing what he perceived as a 'broken system.'
Trump's own words during a 2016 GOP presidential primary debate shed light on his approach to campaign contributions: 'I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what, when I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me. That’s a broken system.'
