THE Kamala Harris campaign announced on Friday (2) that it raised $310 million (£241.6m) in July, more than double the amount raised by her presidential rival, Donald Trump. The surge in contributions followed Harris's elevation as the Democratic party nominee, replacing Joe Biden.
Harris's campaign has reinvigorated both large and small donors, a stark contrast to the period of uncertainty after Biden's poor debate performance, which had reportedly led major donors to pause their fundraising efforts.
The $310 million raised is the largest haul of the 2024 election cycle, with over $200m (£155.9m) coming in just one week after Biden endorsed Harris as his successor.
The sum reflects funds raised across the campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees, the statement said, and came from more than three million donors.
Two-thirds of the money was sent in by first-time donors, the campaign said, calling the haul the best grassroots fundraising month in presidential history.
During the same month, Trump's campaign said it raised $138.7m (108.1£m), in a press release Thursday (1).
That brings the former Republican president's cash on hand to $327 million, while Harris's war chest now stands at $377m (£294.05m).
Trump's White House bid was thrown into chaos on July 21 when Biden withdrew his candidacy, backing Harris as the Democratic nominee.
"The tremendous outpouring of support we've seen in just a short time makes clear the Harris coalition is mobilized, growing and ready to put in the work to defeat Trump this November," said campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.
Harris has seen her favorability ratings jump as she has reeled in Trump, who sparked a firestorm of outrage after he claimed falsely on Wednesday that she had decided to "turn Black" for political gain.
Compared with June, when Biden was still the nominee, the number of Gen Z donors increased by more than 10 times, while the number of millennial donors increased by more than eight times.
Meanwhile coalition groups such as Black Women for Harris, Latinas for Harris and even one called White Dudes for Harris raised more than $20m (£15.5m), the campaign said. (AFP)
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