Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings has given $7 million to a super PAC backing Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for president, The Information reported on Tuesday. Hastings told the outlet this marked his largest donation ever given in support of an individual candidate.
The Netflix cofounder has become one of the largest donors to the Democratic Party in recent years. The donation comes shortly after Hastings publicly, alongside other major Democratic donors, called for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race.
The $7 million donation marks his first of the 2024 presidential election cycle, telling The Information, “After the depressing debate, we are in the game again.”
According to the report, Hastings was encouraged to make a donation to the PAC by venture capitalist and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn.
Hastings was initially hesitant to endorse Harris, because “Dem delegates need to pick a swing state winner,” he wrote in a social media post shortly after Biden withdrew his candidacy. However, following Harris’ swift clinch of the Democratic nomination, garnering a majority of delegates, Hastings congratulated the vice president on social media and wrote, “Now it is time to win.”
Hastings’ gift comes at a time when the campaign has received an avalanche of donations following Biden’s withdrawal from the race. Harris quickly amassed a record-breaking $81 million in donations in the first 24 hours. Since then, the campaign has raised over $100 million, with many donations coming from first-time contributions.
