Retiring Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has angered his fellow Democrats by keeping the nearly $2.4 million in his personal campaign account rather than donating it to the campaign of Bruce Braley, the party’s nominee to succeed him.
Harkin, who is retiring after five terms in office, plans to instead donate most of the funds to Drake University to help create a political institute in his own name.
“The people who contributed to Citizens for Harkin did so to help me advance my policy initiatives which I have been championing for 40 years,” Harkin said, according to USA Today.
A top Senate Democratic aide told Politico that it was “ridiculous” that Harkin was not giving the money to a political committee involved in the Iowa race.
Democrats are nervous about the state, which is key to their hopes of retaining their Senate majority. Braley had an early lead against Republican Joni Ernest, but has fallen behind in most recent polls.
Harkin aides have countered that the senator has worked extensively for Braley, both campaigning and fundraising. Braley himself issued a statement denying there was any discontent: “Tom has offered nothing less than his strongest and most generous support to me over the course of this campaign.”
