In one of the most chaotic periods in a presidential election in recent memory, leading Democratic candidate Kamala Harris blew past former President Trump in a financial race in July.
According to reports from both campaigns, the vice president and his allies raised $310 million, while Trump and his allies raised $139 million.
Fundraising for the 2024 presidential election was already expected to break records, with much of the money coming from California, where donors fuel both party-state political races.
But the astonishing amount came in July in the midst of a dizzying series of events: President Biden's disastrous debate performance with President Trump that raised questions about his cognitive abilities, the assassination attempt on President Trump, the Republican National Convention and Trump's selection of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate, Biden's announcement that he would not seek reelection, and the Democratic Party's de facto selection of Harris as its nominee.
The vice presidential campaign noted that Harris raised more than $200 million in her first week as a candidate, the most ever at this stage in a presidential election.
“This is a historic investment for a candidate who will make history in November,” Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement, adding that the money would be used for organizing and voter outreach in key states across the country.
“The overwhelming amount of support we've received in such a short amount of time clearly shows that the Harris team is mobilized, powerful and ready to get to work to defeat Trump in November,” she said.
Both candidates and their party committees have been fundraising furiously for some time, so the difference in their cash reserves isn't as stark: Harris reported $377 million in the bank, while Trump reported $327 million.
The former president's campaign argued that it was well-funded to win in the fall.
“These numbers reflect continued momentum from donors at all levels, providing much-needed funding for the remaining 96 days until victory on November 5th,” the campaign said in a statement.
