Kamala Harris announcement sees Democrat fundraising surge by record $46.7m in the first seven hours after Biden dropped out of Presidential race as donors flock back to the party and endorsements roll

Small donors person contributed a whopping $46.7 cardinal to Vice President Kamala Harris' statesmanlike run successful nan 7 hours since President Joe Biden shocked nan world by announcing he would not beryllium opinionated successful nan 2024 election. 

The figures, announced by nan Democratic Party's fundraising arm, ActBlue, mean that Harris, 59, has surgery nan grounds for astir money raised during this predetermination cycle. 

'This has been nan biggest fundraising time of nan 2024 cycle. Small-dollar donors are fired up and fresh to return connected this election,' nan group said successful a station connected X. 

Harris is not officially nan party's nominee, but has already earned nan endorsement of Biden, erstwhile President Bill Clinton, erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic kingmaker George Soros.

'Tough. Fearless. Tenacious. With our populist astatine liking and our early connected nan line, nary 1 is amended to prosecute nan lawsuit against Donald Trump's acheronian imagination and guideline our state successful a healthier guidance than America's Vice President, Kamala Harris,' Newsome wrote successful his endorsement connected X.  

In summation nan money raised successful nan hours aft Biden's decision, The Wall Street Journal reports that Harris will besides person entree to nan moneys raised by nan Biden/Harris 2024 campaign, adjacent to $100 million. 

On Saturday, Federal Election Commission filings showed that ex-President Donald Trump and his moving mate Senator JD Vance person raised $128 million. 

The Journal later reported that GOP operatives are apt to title Harris' entree to nan rate raised by Biden. 

Odds connected Harris defeating Trump person been slashed to astir 12/5, down from an astonishing 100/1 successful February. The Republican nominee remains nan favourite to triumph nan predetermination pinch likelihood of 4/6.  

Despite nan high-profile endorsements, Harris is apt to still activity nan support of erstwhile President Barack Obama, erstwhile Speaker of nan House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. 

The New York Times reports that Obama's deficiency of endorsement successful a missive reacting to Biden's announcement was not a flimsy against Harris but alternatively emblematic of his stance astatine this shape of nan process.

The erstwhile Illinois legislator was slow to endorse Biden, his vice president, successful 2020, famously stating: 'I don't want to thumb nan scale.' 

Harris said aggregate times pinch Biden connected Sunday, according to group acquainted pinch nan conversations – a time aft Biden huddled pinch his closest aides successful Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, arsenic he began to reason that he would extremity his reelection bid.

 About 2 hours aft nan astonishment Sunday announcement from Biden, Harris released her ain statement, making it clear she knew nan information would not conscionable beryllium handed to her.

'I americium honored to person nan President's endorsement and my volition is to gain and triumph this nomination,' Harris said. 

'Over nan past year, I person traveled crossed nan country, talking pinch Americans astir nan clear prime successful this momentous election. And that is what I will proceed to do successful nan days and weeks ahead.'

Then Harris quickly sewage to work. She spent overmuch of Sunday day calling Democratic elected officials and delegates arsenic she worked to fastener up her party's nomination. One telephone was pinch Schumer. 

Another was pinch Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairwoman Nanette Barragan, who emphasized that she was 'all in' down nan vice president and urged donations connected her behalf.  

Barragán said she was caught successful a infinitesimal of some sadness and excitement arsenic she digested nan news of Biden's withdrawal. But successful her telephone pinch Harris, nan vice president stressed to her: 'We're successful this to triumph it.'

Harris besides communicated that she preferred to forego a virtual rotation telephone for nan information process and alternatively clasp a process that adheres to regular order.

'This is nan infinitesimal for america to merge and coalesce astir nan vice president and attraction astir Donald Trump,' Barragán said. 

 Harris besides said pinch Rep. Annie Kuster, who leads nan New Democrat Coalition, an influential bloc of center-left lawmakers. Kuster endorsed Harris connected Sunday afternoon.

Notably, a fistful of men who had already been discussed arsenic imaginable moving mates for Harris -– Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly –- besides swiftly issued statements endorsing her. 

Aides to Shapiro and Cooper confirmed that Harris said pinch them Sunday afternoon. In her little telephone pinch Cooper, nan North Carolina politician told Harris that he was backing her to beryllium nan Democratic nominee, according to Cooper spokeswoman Sadie Weiner. 

'Joe Biden is simply a awesome American, and we each beryllium him our immense gratitude for his work to our state arsenic president, vice president, and senator,' Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., said. 'There is nary amended personification than Vice President Harris for him to walk nan baton to.'

But location were early signs that she whitethorn not beryllium unsocial successful nan Democratic race. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who near nan statement earlier this twelvemonth to go an independent, is considering re-registering arsenic a Democrat to vie for nan information against nan vice president, according to Jonathan Kott, a longtime advisor to Manchin.