Janice R. Andrews
The campaign team for Vice President Kamala Harris has reported a huge increase in fundraising efforts, with over $300 million raised just in August. This huge amount is more than twice as much as the $130 million that former President Donald Trump’s campaign earned during the same time period. This news shocked the Trump team.
After Vice President Joe Biden dropped out as the Democratic choice last month, the Trump team was feeling very hopeful. People thought that without Biden, it would be easier to win. But Harris’s entry into the race on July 21 changed everything. Since then, she’s raised an amazing $540 million, which has made Republican efforts look weak in comparison.
Harris’s fundraising surge picks up speed
The energy behind Kamala Harris’s campaign has grown a lot since she chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate. This happened right after the great Democratic National Convention, which took place in Chicago over four days and gave the party even more energy.
Two campaign sources told NBC News that the numbers given by Harris’s team are correct. The huge infusion of cash came after the Democratic Party took advantage of the excitement that Biden’s departure caused, which energised both voters and funders. A lot of Democrats who weren’t excited about a repeat between Biden and Trump are now excited about Harris, which has led to a huge fundraising boom.
State Democratic groups have also seen a rise in funding, which they say is because Biden backed Harris. Her campaign’s success has been helped by the support she has gotten from different parts of the Democratic Party, especially Black women, who are very likely to vote. The race has changed dramatically since this wave of support hit, making Harris a much stronger opponent.
The Trump campaign defends its standpoint
The Trump team said they raised $130 million in August, but they have said they are in a good financial situation. With almost $300 million in cash on hand, top Trump officials have played down worries that they won’t be able to raise enough money. A Trump campaign spokesperson stressed that 98% of their gifts were small ones worth less than $200, with an average payment of $56. This shows that they had support from a lot of people at the local level.
“These August fundraising numbers show that movement, and they will bring President Trump’s America First agenda back to the White House so we can fix what Harris and Biden did wrong,” said Brian Hughes, a top adviser to Trump’s campaign.
The Trump campaign team thinks that Republicans will stay together, and they are sure that they can get independent voters and Democrats who are unhappy with the current government to vote for them. Since the general election is coming up soon, they are spending their resources and campaigning on key states like Pennsylvania, which they see as important for getting the 270 electoral votes they need to win.
Harris Gets Ready to Raise More Money
Even though Trump is sure of himself, Harris’ campaign is not slowing down. There are plans for more fundraising events in September in big places like New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. This means that the Harris campaign is ready for even more money.
The Harris team said on Tuesday that it would be giving almost $25 million to help Democrats win races further down the ticket. It was said by the campaign that this was the biggest donation ever made during a presidential election run to help lower-level races. The next date for Harris to report her campaign finances is September 20, and experts think she will continue to get a lot of money.
The Power of Trump’s Super PACs
Harris’s team has made progress, but Trump still needs help from his Super PACs. Files from the Federal Election Commission show that Trump’s top 10 Super PACs have raised $305.6 million since the beginning of 2024. During the same time period, Harris (previously Biden) Super PACs have raised $199.2 million.
Even with these Super PAC benefits, Harris’ quick rise in fundraising has closed the cash gap between the two campaigns. By the end of June, Trump will no longer have a financial advantage. For now, it looks like the Harris team is using this momentum to build up a strong war chest before the last two months of the campaign.
The Home Stretch
As both teams keep raising money and watching key battleground states, the race is getting tougher. Trump’s advisors are still sure that they are in a good situation for the next two months, but Harris’s recent increase in wealth has definitely raised concerns.
The ability to use these funds successfully will be very important in deciding the result of the 2024 election as the campaigns continue to fight. The stakes are bigger than ever, and both candidates are ready for a tough race.
