Vice President Kamala Harris convinced 2 million first-time donors to contribute to her presidential campaign last month.
Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden ended his campaign last month, raised $310 million in July, including the $200 million raised in the week following Harris’ rise to the top of the ticket. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, officially nominated as the GOP nominee at the Republican National Convention (RNC), raised about $139 million, less than half the amount raised by Harris.
Harris’ strong fundraising month comes as her candidacy fueled new enthusiasm among Democrats as polls suggest she is gaining ground on Trump compared to Biden before he withdrew from the race. However, the election is still expected to be close as the American public remains sharply divided over key political issues.
More than two-thirds of Harris’ July fundraising came from first-time donors, her campaign said in a statement. According to The Washington Post, that equates to 2 million donors.
“July’s $310 million haul was also the strongest grassroots month in presidential campaign history and powered by a surge in new support,” the statement reads.
Trump’s campaign wrote that his fundraising numbers “reflect continued momentum with donors at every level and provide the resources for the final 96 days until victory November 5th.”
The Trump campaign has not released information about how many first-time donors contributed to the campaign in July.
Newsweek reached out to the Harris and Trump campaigns for comment via email.
Harris’ campaign said it has $377 million cash on hand, compared to $327 million for the Trump campaign. Fundraising is critical for presidential campaigns, allowing candidates to purchase TV ads, hire more staff, and fund events and “Get Out to Vote” efforts across key states.
Harris’ strong fundraising came after a tumultuous political month.
Trump faced an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. During the rally, a gunman fired several shots, striking Trump’s right ear and killing a rallygoer. The shooter was also killed.
The incident sparked calls for politicians to turn down the temperature in a contentious election and led to the resignation of the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.
The Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, followed, and Biden announced his withdrawal the next weekend on July 21.
His exit followed pressure from other Democrats who were concerned about his ability to win in November after his debate against Trump on June 27. Biden’s performance, widely perceived as poor, sparked new concerns about his age, and polls after the debate showed him trailing Trump in key states.
Democrats are hopeful, however, that Harris can win over swing voters, create new enthusiasm among the party and reach Americans that Biden struggled with, such as younger voters.
Polls already show Harris performing better than Biden, with the vice president holding a lead over Trump in several national polls released in recent days.
