Sanders posts huge fundraising sum in January
The one-month sum surpassed his first- and second-quarter hauls and represented more than a quarter of his 2019 total
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders raised a staggering $25 million in January, his campaign said Thursday, marking his highest monthly total since he entered the Democratic presidential campaign more than a year ago.
The one-month sum surpassed his first- and second-quarter hauls and represented more than a quarter of his 2019 total, by far the most of any contender in the historically large primary pool at $96 million. It brings his overall total to $121 million, underlying the strength of his grassroots support.
Sanders’ campaign said the money will be used to fuel its Super Tuesday strategy, including ramping up staffing and expanding prior investments in states such as Texas and California. It will also be used to launch a $5.5 million television and digital ad buy in 10 states, including South Carolina.
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Among Sanders’ 648,000 donors in January, "teacher" was the most common occupation and the five most common employers were Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, the United States Postal Service and Target, his campaign said. The average donation was $18.72.
“Bernie’s multiracial, multigenerational, people-driven movement for change is fueling 2020’s most aggressive campaign for president,” Sanders’ campaign manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement.
In the final three months of 2019, his campaign raked in $34 million but spent almost $50 million, leaving the self-described democratic socialist with a little over $18 million in the bank. Sanders has sworn off super PAC money, instead of relying on small-dollar donations to fund his second presidential bid. He was the biggest spender among Democratic candidates, besides billionaires Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg.
Fundraising doesn't necessarily show who's going to win the primary, but it's an important indication of enthusiasm for a candidate and is necessary to propel the contenders through an arduous and expensive primary process.
SANDERS, BUTTIGIEG ARE WINNING THE 2020 CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING RACE
IOWA CAUCUS CHAOS LINKED TO APP STARTED BY CLINTON CAMPAIGN VETERANS
The need for cash will likely only increase ahead of Super Tuesday (March 3), when voters in 14 states cast their ballots. Democratic hopefuls also have a new obstacle to face: Bloomberg, who's concentrating his unorthodox campaign on delegate-rich Super Tuesday states like California, and his unlimited funds. One of the wealthiest people in the world, Bloomberg is worth an estimated $60 billion and has vowed to use his vast personal fortune on the campaign.
Sanders and other leading Democratic candidates, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, are campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of the state’s primary.
Scheduled for Feb. 11, the vote could shed some much-needed clarity on the shape of the Democratic primary, after “inconsistencies” in reporting left both campaigns and voters uncertain about the outcome of the Iowa caucuses on Monday night.
With 97 percent of precincts reporting results, Sanders and Buttigigeg appear to be locked in a virtual tie.
Sanders is leading in New Hampshire, according to an aggregate of polls by RealClearPolitics.
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