Vice President Kamala Harris raised a record $81 million in her first 24 hours as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president. That is more than any presidential candidate has ever raised in that stretch of time, the AP reports.
"The Harris one-day total outstrips the nearly $53 million that Donald J. Trump raised after his criminal conviction, itself an eye-popping sum for a presidential candidate," notes the New York Times' Nicholas Nehamas.
"And it also eclipses the roughly $72 million that President Biden raised in the first quarter after he began his re-election campaign in April 2023," Nehamas added.
"The Harris campaign noted that over 888,000 grassroots donors made donations in the past 24 hours, with 60% giving their first contribution of the 2024 campaign cycle," the Wall Street Journal reported.
The fundraising haul is a needed shot in the arm for the Democrats' campaign. Prior to dropping out, President Joe Biden's fundraising numbers suffered as donors pledged not to provide any more money until the president decided to step down. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has been gaining ground.
In the current 2024 election cycle, Trump's fundraising approach has shifted dramatically from his earlier self-funding claims. His campaign and affiliated committees have been sending out a flurry of desperate-sounding emails and social media pleas asking supporters to donate, with pre-selected contribution amounts ranging from $20 to $3,300. Trump has also turned to selling branded merchandise like golden "Trump Fighter" sneakers in an effort to raise cash.
