Harris obliterates Trump in July fundraising
Democrat Kamala Harris obliterated Republican Donald Trump in July fundraising, with her presidential campaign raising more than $204 million — more than four times her opponent's haul for the month, new federal records indicate.
Trump's presidential campaign committee raised about $47.5 million during July, according to documents filed late Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.
Even by contemporary political standards, where general election presidential candidates are expected to raise tens of millions of dollars every month, Harris' total is extraordinarily large — fueled by a rush of interest and energy for her campaign following President Joe Biden's withdrawal on July 21.
The flood of cash will give Harris more than ample firepower during the 2024 presidential election's final weeks, particularly in several swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona, which stand to determine whether Trump returns to office or Harris becomes the nation's first female president.
During July, the Harris campaign also spent significantly more than Trump's campaign — $80.7 million to $24.3 million, according to FEC records.
Harris' campaign also ended July with a significant cash advantage, reporting $219.7 million cash on hand versus the Trump campaign's $151.3 million.
The official July fundraising figures disclosed late Tuesday by the Harris and Trump campaigns only reflect the finances of the candidate's own campaign committees.
They do not include money raised and spent last month by constellations of other affiliated political committees, such as national party committees and supportive super PACs. Money raised by such committees closely aligned with Harris or Trump together stand to push the candidates' overall numbers even higher, as Reuters and CNBC recently detailed, citing campaign sources.
Harris' July campaign committee totals include money that Biden raised during July prior to his exit, when he seamlessly transferred his campaign committee to Harris because she was already on the Biden-Harris presidential ticket.
But Biden's fundraising had grown anemic in the weeks immediately preceding his departure, particularly after his disastrous June 27 debate performance against Trump.
The debate led not only to fundraising trouble, but widespread Democratic infighting over whether Biden was mentally and physically fit to continue on as a candidate — to say nothing of serve as president until 2029, when he'd be 86 on the final day of his second term.
Biden appeared Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and offered Harris is unbridled support during an emotional speech that prompted chants of "Thank you, Joe!" from the thousands of delegates and party faithful assembled.
Harris, who on Tuesday received a ceremonial affirmation of her presidential nomination during a state-by-state delegate roll call, is scheduled to formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.