Vice President Kamala Harris and, by extension, the lobbyists and advocates with ties to her are now in the spotlight amid Democrats’ anxiety over President Joe Biden’s future.
Harris, who spent four years in the Senate before being sworn in as the first ever woman or person of color vice president, has stood by Biden even as some Democrats have called for him to bow out. But the debate fallout has raised her profile and invited scrutiny of her positions and support network both in Washington and California where she served as attorney general.
If Biden survives the current tempest and is re-elected, Harris would become a prime candidate to succeed him in 2028 and lobbyists and donors with ties to her would be in high demand.
Her husband, Douglas Emhoff, has his own deep connections to the corporate world having served as a partner at law and lobbying firm DLA Piper, where he was an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles.
“At the end of the day, the job of the vice president is to always be ready,” said Nicole Venable, a Democratic lobbyist at the firm Invariant. “People are taking a more focused look at her. There are those of us in Washington, on K Street downtown, who have been supportive of the vice president for many years.”
Venable, who donated to Harris’ Senate coffers, said she was not weighing in on the discussions about their party’s presidential ticket other than to say she supports Biden, Harris, and the administration.
At the White House, Harris has taken on a portfolio of policy issues, including artificial intelligence, that has grabbed the attention of a business community that is otherwise skeptical of her – and the president’s – positions on tax and regulations. Harris said in a CBS News interview that she was “proud” to be Biden’s running mate. “We beat Trump once, and we’re going to beat him again, period,” she said.
Harris has a network of allies in the lobbying sector, some stemming from her 2016 Senate race when she raised nearly $200,000 from lobbyists, according to an analysis by OpenSecrets.org, which tracks political and lobbying spending. Many in her K Street network are women of color.
She also received donations from the political action committees of corporations and industry groups such as Visa, Northrop Grumman Corp., and the National Association of Broadcasters.
As vice president, she has done events with K Street organizations, such as the US Chamber of Commerce, and has huddled with lobbying clients and business leaders, lobbyists said.
At the same time, the Biden-Harris campaign does not accept donations from registered federal lobbyists. When Harris ran for president in the 2020 cycle, her campaign also did not take contributions from federal lobbyists.
Secret Weapon
While Emhoff left his law firm after the 2020 election, as Harris prepared to become vice president, he has plunged into political and community activities to help the administration.
Emhoff, who is Jewish, has led efforts to combat antisemitism, outreach to the Jewish community, and other policies.
“He’s one of her best secret weapons,” said Democratic lobbyist Israel “Izzy” Klein, a founder of the Klein/Johnson Group.
Harris’ former aides who have gone into lobbying include Clint Odom, who is vice president of strategic alliances and external affairs at T-Mobile; Ford Motor Co. lobbyist Deanne Millison, the vice president’s former chief economic adviser; and Yasmin Nelson, a senior policy adviser at Holland & Knight, who worked for Harris in the Senate.
Shari Yost Gold, who is with the firm Invariant, worked for Harris’ campaigns. Rohini Kosoglu, a former top Harris aide, has gone into the private sector and is a venture partner at the Fusion Fund, according to the fund’s website. Halie Soifer, who was a national security adviser to Harris in the Senate, is chief executive officer of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. Both Harris and Emhoff have spoken at the council’s events.
Soifer said Harris has been “unwavering” in her support for Israel and that Emhoff has been a leader on combating antisemitism.
When it comes to hearing from outside groups, generally, Soifer said Harris keeps an open ear.
“I wouldn’t necessarily characterize lobbyists as a special designation, but she’s definitely interested in hearing from advocacy groups,” she said. “When I worked for her, the voices of constituents were paramount.” Harris also heard from defense and other industry representatives, Soifer said.
Building Ties
As vice president, Harris has worked to expand her ties to business leaders as well as advocacy groups, including those focused on abortion rights, Black maternal health care, and unions.
Harris and her husband have also participated in gay pride events. She will headline a fundraiser in Provincetown, Mass., on July 20 that is co-hosted by Bryan Rafanelli, a celebrity event planner who helped organize the White House wedding of Biden’s granddaughter Naomi in 2022. The invitation to the fundraising event notes that Harris “has been a staunch ally and advocate for the LGBTQ community.”
Lobbyist Jennifer Stewart said Harris has been engaged with the private sector on domestic and international issues including with Microsoft, one of Stewart’s clients, on issues related to root causes of migration in Central America and on AI policy.
Blair Effron, an investment banker in New York, has attended dinners and other briefings with CEOs with the vice president and said even Republicans, who might not vote for her, come away impressed.
“She really sees business as what makes our economy the envy of the world,” said Effron, who said he supports Biden, Harris, and the administration.
Harris took part in a US Chamber of Commerce event in late May aimed at spurring investment in Kenya and other parts of Africa, where she has traveled as vice president with the same goal. In April, Harris launched an economic opportunity tour with swings through Atlanta, Detroit, and other cities focused on investing in communities, building wealth, and investments in Black-owned small businesses.
She has held dinners and other meetings with business leaders, including JP Morgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon and Visa Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ryan McInerney as part of an effort to cultivate ties to the business sector, according to Bloomberg News.
Alpine Group lobbyist Keenan Austin Reed, who was in New Orleans along with the vice president at the Essence Festival of Culture in recent days, said she’s found the vice president’s office to be responsive and willing to discuss client issues.
“I would give them big compliments on trying to be inclusive with the private sector,” she said.
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