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Harris passes $1bn in fundraising since entering the race in July

Harris has also maintained predicted lead in polls since entering the race

Josh Marcus
San Francisco
Wednesday 09 October 2024 18:03 EDT
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Kamala Harris cracks open a beer with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show

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Fresh off a media blitz that included stops on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The View, the Harris campaign is reportedly heading into the final stretch of the 2024 election with another show of force: it has reportedly raised over $1bn since the vice president entered the race, likely the fastest a campaign has ever hit ten figures.

In the less than three months since Harris declared her candidacy, she’s raised an estimated $147m more than Trump has raised this entire year, according to The New York Times, citing people familiar with non-public details of the campaign’s finances.

Individual donations online have contributed to the surge in funds, with Democratic processor ActBlue reporting that donations more than doubled once Harris entered the Harris, per the paper.

The fundraising haul is part of what’s on track to be the most expensive election in U.S. history.

The two major-party campaigns, their allied super PACs, and other aligned groups have spent $15.9bn this cycle, $800m more than the 2020 record, according to a report from OpenSecrets.

The Harris campaign has likely raised more money in a shorter span than any presidential campaign in U.S. history. Kamala Harris is pictured boarding Air Force 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 5
The Harris campaign has likely raised more money in a shorter span than any presidential campaign in U.S. history. Kamala Harris is pictured boarding Air Force 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 5 (AP)

Harris isn’t the only one with a notable campaign war chest, though.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, a former Trump critic, has shaken up the race by becoming both a campaign surrogate and major donor in support of the Republican.

In addition to appearing alongside Trump at a recent Pennsylvania rally, the X owner has been funneling tens of millions of dollars to Trump and other conservative causes since 2022.

Through a series of non-profit organizations, Musk has sent a reported $60m to conservative groups affiliated with former Trump adviser Stephen Miller and 2024 candidate and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, the Wall Street Journal reported.

By the time 2024 rolled around, Musk became a vocal Trump supporter, founding America PAC, a group that’s reportedly spent more than $60m on the 2024 election cycle.

According to our poll tracker, the Harris campaign retains a lead with voters in addition to a lead on the balance sheet, with the Democrat maintaining a roughly three-point advantage.

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