The campaign of US President Joe Biden, along with his Democratic allies, has amassed $264 million in the second quarter, with $127 million raised in June alone, according to a statement from the campaign. Notably, a significant portion of these funds was collected on the day of Biden's contentious debate with former President Donald Trump, marking a record in grassroots fundraising. The campaign also reported having $240 million in available cash for the president's re-election bid.
Following Biden's subpar debate performance, which led some Democrats to suggest he should reconsider his candidacy, his team is keen to demonstrate their financial prowess. Conversations with key financial backers over the weekend and Monday were challenging, as they expressed doubts about the 81-year-old Democrat's continued participation in the race post-debate. However, Thursday emerged as the campaign's strongest day for small-donor fundraising, with Friday also showing robust support amidst the Democratic community's concerns over the debate outcome.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden's campaign manager, highlighted in a statement that the Q2 fundraising results reflect the steadfast support of a growing base of supporters who recognize the stark contrast between Biden's advocacy for the American people and Trump's self-serving agenda as a convicted felon. The campaign emphasized that 95% of the donations received were for amounts under $200, underscoring a broad-based support from ordinary Americans rather than a dependency on large contributions from the wealthy.
The total fundraising figures encompass donations to the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees. These funds are being utilized to establish over 200 campaign offices and employ more than 1,000 staff members in key battleground states essential for Biden to secure victory over Trump, the Republican candidate, in the November election. Meanwhile, Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee reported raising $141 million in May, almost doubling the previous month's total, buoyed by a surge in support following his conviction in a hush money case.
