CHICAGO (WSN) — Since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has raised approximately $500 million, according to sources who spoke with Reuters. This unprecedented fundraising amount underscores the strong donor enthusiasm leading up to the November 5 election.
Sources familiar with Harris’s campaign efforts revealed that this substantial sum was accumulated in just four weeks after she officially entered the race on July 21.
Campaign funds are essential for running ads and mobilizing voters, which are crucial for both encouraging voter turnout and swaying undecided voters.
Harris began her campaign after President Joe Biden stepped down from the top spot on the Democratic ticket, resulting in a surge of funding that had diminished following Biden’s poor performance in a debate against Republican Donald Trump.
In her first week, Harris raised $200 million and quickly secured the support needed to become the Democratic nominee. Her campaign collected $310 million in July alone, bringing the total raised by her and Biden—before his withdrawal—to over $1 billion. This marks the fastest achievement of that fundraising milestone in history, according to her campaign.
In comparison, Trump’s campaign reported raising $138.7 million in July and had $327 million in cash on hand. Trump’s campaign outpaced Biden’s in fundraising for the second quarter.
Harris’s campaign continued to show strong support into August, with contributions from small-dollar donors and high turnout at her rallies in crucial swing states.
In the 2020 election cycle, Biden’s campaign committee raised $1.04 billion, or $1.62 billion including outside groups, as reported by OpenSecrets, which monitors political fundraising.
At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Harris praised Biden on the first night, while Biden highlighted his achievements and urged support for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Former President Barack Obama, another significant fundraising asset, is set to speak at the convention on Tuesday night while Harris campaigns in neighboring Wisconsin. Obama has participated in two major fundraisers with Biden and has offered to assist Harris further.
Harris has frequently described herself as an underdog in her race against Trump to maintain voter and donor engagement.
