Karoline Leavitt’s Failed Campaign Owes More Than $300K

Three years after she lost her bid for a House seat, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s campaign remains deep in debt.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s failed 2022 congressional campaign still owes more than $300,000.

‘Karoline for Congress’ did not raise any money in April, May, or June to pay down its debt of $326,370.50, which is spread across more than 100 creditors, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission.

The news was reported first by Open Secrets, a non-profit that investigates campaign finance.

Much of the debt is from donations that exceeded the limit set by campaign finance law during Leavitt’s run in New Hampshire at a House seat, according to Open Secrets.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s 2022 congressional campaign still owes more than $300,000.Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty

Leavitt, who was just 23 when the campaign began, won the Republican primary but lost to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas by an eight-point margin.

Among the individual donors owed refunds are New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson and New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader Robert Clegg Jr., who died in 2023.

‘Karoline for Congress’ also owes sizable sums to campaign vendors—such as $46,747 to Axiom Strategies, a Republican political consulting firm, and $41,000 to Remington Research Group, a polling firm.

In January, Leavitt’s campaign did pay refunds to five of its creditors—including the press secretary’s parents, who received $2,900 each, NOTUS reported in April.

Despite winning the Republican primary, Leavitt lost the congressional race to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas.Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images

An unnamed source familiar with the situation emphasized to Open Secrets that Leavitt is not personally responsible for her campaign’s debt.

The person also said that the campaign is being audited by the FEC and “that process is ongoing, hence the outstanding ‘debt.’”

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

In 2022, the Democrat-aligned advocacy group End Citizens United filed a complaint with the FEC over ‘Karoline for Congress’ acceptance of excessive contributions.

But the body has yet to make a ruling. And it won’t do so anytime soon, because Leavitt’s boss, President Donald Trump, has not nominated any new commissioners for Senate approval.

After her run at Congress, Leavitt became the press secretary for Trump’s 2024 campaign—and eventually the youngest ever White House press secretary.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

With just three members, the five-person board is without a quorum and has been unable to take actions—such as issuing fines—since May 2025. The board was also defunct for much of Trump’s first presidency.

It is not uncommon for even high-profile political candidates to end a campaign in debt.

It took Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign for president five years to pay its debt of nearly $25 million. It managed to do so by—among other means—by selling face time with former President Bill Clinton.

Meanwhile, former Republican Sen. Newt Gingrich’s 2012 presidential campaign still owed $4.6 million in debt as of 2022.

Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, owed $22.5 million after her 2008 campaign for president.Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global

Before her congressional run, Leavitt started out as an intern in the White House’s mailroom during Trump first term, eventually working her way up as an assistant press secretary.

She became the press secretary for Trump’s 2024 campaign and upon his victory was named, at 27, the youngest ever White House press secretary.