Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign said Sunday that it had raised $200 million in the week since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race — more than Biden’s haul in the first three months of the year.
Roughly two-thirds of that amount came from first-time donors, according to the campaign, offering another sign that Harris’ ascent to the top of the party’s ticket has invigorated Democrats. The campaign also said it had signed up more than 170,000 new volunteers.
And more money is coming: Harris will hold a fundraiser in Houston on Wednesday, according to a copy of the invitation reviewed by The New York Times.
It is unclear how much of the $200 million has gone directly to the campaign versus to allied Democratic Party committees. But it is eye-catching, even in comparison with other surges recorded over the course of the 2024 race. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign reported raising nearly $53 million in the first day after his criminal conviction in May, a haul that helped him outpace Biden that month and erase what had been a significant financial advantage for the president.
The swell of support comes after Democrats, thrown for a loop by Biden’s poor debate performance, spent weeks loudly despairing about their prospects. Even so, Harris’ campaign has sought to tamp down expectations, as it faces the task of sustaining that enthusiasm into November.
A campaign spokesperson, Michael Tyler, said in a statement, “The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris is real — and so are the fundamentals of this race: this election will be very close and decided by a small number of voters in just a few states.”
And Harris herself said at a fundraiser Saturday, “We are the underdogs in this race.”
