Vice President Kamala Harris achieved a remarkable fundraising feat, raising $47 million in just 24 hours following her debate with former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday night. This impressive amount was contributed by 600,000 individual donors, marking one of her highest single-day fundraising totals since her campaign began.
This influx of funds significantly boosts her financial advantage over Trump, who started September with a smaller cash reserve. According to the Harris campaign, she now has $404 million on hand, compared to Trump’s $295 million. Harris’s campaign almost tripled Trump’s fundraising efforts in August, highlighting her strong financial standing as the campaign moves forward.
The New York Times notes that presidential debates often lead to major fundraising spikes due to their large audiences. Tuesday’s debate attracted 67 million live viewers, not counting those who watched online. Harris’s standout performance has clearly energized Democratic supporters, leading to a surge in donations.
In contrast, the Trump campaign has not yet released comparable post-debate fundraising figures. The largest 24-hour total announced by his campaign was after his felony conviction in May, when he raised nearly $53 million online. On that day, banking heir Timothy Mellon also donated $50 million to a pro-Trump super PAC.
Despite Harris’s fundraising edge reported in July and August—$671 million for Harris and the Democrats versus $269 million for Trump and the Republicans—there is concern that this advantage might impact smaller donor contributions as the election nears. Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon emphasized in a memo to the national finance committee that they must continue their fundraising efforts aggressively.
O’Malley Dillon acknowledged that while Harris’s campaign enjoys a financial lead, their strategy involves a broad electoral map, which is costly. Trump’s advisers believe focusing on key battleground states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia is the most effective route to the White House, a strategy that contrasts with Harris’s broader approach.
In the final six weeks of the race, the Harris campaign and its allies are expected to outspend their Republican counterparts on TV and radio by about $130 million, according to AdImpact. However, Republican groups that depend on major individual donors like Mellon and billionaire Miriam Adelson could quickly level the playing field with significant donations.
As the race heads into its final stretch, Democratic and Republican outside groups are both expected to report and spend substantial sums, making for a highly competitive contest.
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