Vice President Kamala Harris made headlines with a remarkable fundraising achievement in July, as her campaign disclosed a staggering $310 million haul, marking it as the largest fundraising total of the 2024 election cycle so far. This figure surpassed the $138.7 million announced by former President Donald Trump's campaign for the same period.
Following President Biden's decision to withdraw from the re-election race and endorse Harris as his successor, her campaign experienced a significant surge in donations. The swift support from Democratic leaders and delegates propelled Harris to secure her party's nomination swiftly.
The fundraising momentum continued with over $200 million raised in the first week after Biden's endorsement, which the campaign labeled as the 'single greatest week in fundraising history.' July was hailed as the 'best grassroots fundraising month in presidential history,' with two-thirds of the funds coming from first-time donors.
By the end of July, the Harris campaign boasted a substantial war chest of $377 million. This impressive financial backing represented a substantial increase from the $127 million raised by the Biden-Harris ticket in June, with a notable spike in donations following Biden's lackluster debate performance against Trump on June 27th.
While Trump's campaign also saw a fundraising boost in July, bringing in over $25 million more than the previous month, Harris's fundraising success has been a focal point since she assumed the lead position on the Democratic ticket. The campaign highlighted an $81 million influx in the 24 hours following Biden's campaign suspension announcement.
Fundraising figures serve as a crucial indicator of a candidate's popularity and campaign strength, enabling essential activities such as staff recruitment, outreach expansion, advertising across various platforms, and logistical support for the candidate's activities. As the 2024 election approaches, the financial resources amassed by both the Harris and Trump campaigns will play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape leading up to November 5th.
