First 2020 Democratic fundraising numbers give early snapshot of competitive primary ahead

liveslow/iStock(WASHINGTON) — As the 2020 Democratic presidential primary continues to take shape, top contenders for the party’s nomination are beginning to release their first fundraising hauls of the campaign, a key benchmark of how well-resourced they will be in the early stages of a competitive race.

While candidates are not required by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to report their fundraising numbers for the first quarter of 2019 until April 15, top contenders are often eager to release the initial numbers and the number of individuals that donated to their campaigns to demonstrate the viability and grassroots strength of their campaigns.

Thus far, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Kamala Harris of California and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg have released their first quarter fundraising numbers, all reporting substantial totals despite competing in one of the largest primary fields in modern political history.

The fundraising totals also give an early indication of which candidates will likely qualify for the first major debates of the primary season, which will take place on June 26 and 27 in Miami, Florida. Per standards set by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), a candidate will qualify for a debate if he or she has received donations from at least 65,000 individuals across 20 different states, with a minimum of 200 unique donors per state.

Sen. Bernie Sanders raised $18.2 million from 525,000 individual donors in the first 41 days of his campaign

Sanders, who came into the race with a pre-existing and active donor base, reported on Tuesday that his campaign raised $18.2 million from 525,000 individual contributors since launching his campaign on Feb. 19.

The average donation to the campaign was $20, the campaign said, adding that 99.6 percent of the money was raised online and that 99.99 percent of donors are eligible to give again.

Adding in the money left over from his previous campaigns for the U.S. Senate, the Sanders campaign reported having a total of $28 million of cash on hand, a total they say puts them in prime position to compete across the country.

“This campaign will have the resources and the volunteer, grassroots strength to compete in every single state in the primary process,” Jeff Weaver, who led Sanders’ 2016 campaign and now serves as a senior adviser to his 2020 bid, told reporters on a press call Tuesday.

Weaver also made the point that the campaign reached these numbers at a much quicker pace than they did in 2016, when it took them over 100 days to reach the same fundraising total and 146 days to reach the same number of individual donors.

Sen. Kamala Harris raised $12 million from 218,000 individual contributions

Harris’ campaign released their first quarter fundraising totals Monday evening, reporting that the campaign raised $12 million from more than 218,000 individual contributions since she officially launched her bid on Jan. 21, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Ninety-eight percent of Harris’ contributions were under $100, and 99.45 percent of her donors can contribute again, the campaign said.

“This is a campaign powered by the people, focused on making health care a right, putting $500 a month in the pockets of working Americans, and giving every public school teacher in America a raise. We’re excited by the support we’re already seeing,” Harris campaign manager Juan Rodriguez wrote in a statement Monday night.

The California senator came into the race with a proven fundraising track record that she honed in 2018, raising money for Democratic candidates during the midterm elections as she prepared to launch her presidential bid.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg rakes in $7 million despite starting off race virtually unknown

Buttigieg, who launched his presidential exploratory committee on Jan. 23, started off the race virtually unknown to a national audience, but has garnered significant attention in recent weeks as he continues to appear on the campaign trail in states like South Carolina and Iowa.

A poll last month from Quinnipiac University showed his support at 4 percent nationally, the same level of support as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another top contender.

On Monday, Buttigieg’s campaign announced the candidate raised $7 million in the first quarter of 2019, a substantial total that lends further credibility to the 37-year-old mayor’s campaign.

In a video released on Tuesday, the candidate offered more details on the numbers, disclosing that his campaign received donations from 155,550 individuals, with the average donation totaling $36.35.

Who has yet to release their first quarter fundraising numbers?

Short answer: the rest of the Democratic field.

There are a total of 16 candidates that have officially entered the race so far, and their initial fundraising numbers will give a good initial indicator at how successful they’ve been on the fundraising front in the campaign’s early stages.

The expectations for former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke are high after his campaign reported a record-breaking $6.1 million raised in just the first 24 hours of his campaign.

Warren, who launched her presidential exploratory committee just before the start of the new year, and officially launched her bid in early February, has also not released her initial fundraising numbers yet.

Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

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