Hollywood Donors Back Harris, Resume Donations For Dems

A Hollywood "Dembargo" on political donations has ended, as key fundraisers and celebrities from rapper Cardi B to Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis and TV producer Shonda Rhimes endorsed Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee for US president, Lisa Richwine, Dawn Chmielewski, and Danielle Broadway reported for Reuters.

Rapper Cardi B is but one among the many celebrity fundraisers for Harris on the "Dembargo." I Photo: Cardi B X

Relief and excitement spread across Los Angeles, the world's film and television capital and an important source of Democrats' campaign funds, following President Joe Biden's decision to end his reelection campaign on Sunday.

"Lost" producer Damon Lindelof said he had halted what he called a "Dembargo," a call for Hollywood backers to stop donating money to Democrats after Biden's disastrous debate performance in June.

Lindelof, writing on Instagram, said he felt "profound relief, gratitude ... and then, for the first time, genuine EXCITEMENT for the election ahead" after Biden's withdrawal.

A June fundraiser hosted by actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts raised more than $30 million in what the Biden campaign said was the largest Democratic fundraiser in history. Clooney and others called for the president to end his campaign after his halting debate with Donald Trump in June.

"We are all in for Kamala Harris! Started to work on her behalf the moment she announced," Andy Spahn, a Democratic fundraiser in Hollywood and president of consulting firm Gonring, Lin, Spahn, said via email.

Disney heiress Abigail Disney told CNBC she was resuming her donations to Democrats and that she thought Harris would be an excellent candidate. Singer Barbra Streisand said Harris "will continue Joe Biden’s work and will be a great president."