Kamala Harris raises US$81M in 24 hours, smashing donation record

Kamala Harris is smashing fundraising records arsenic nan Democratic Party’s donors — large and mini — unfastened their wallets for nan vice president successful nan contiguous aftermath of President Joe Biden’s stunning decision to measurement aside.

In total, Harris’ squad raised much than $81 cardinal successful nan 24-hour play since Biden’s announcement, run spokesperson Kevin Munoz said Monday.

The monolithic haul, which includes money raised crossed nan campaign, nan Democratic National Committee and associated fundraising committees, represents nan largest 24-hour sum reported by either broadside successful nan 2024 campaign. Harris’ run said it was nan largest single-day full successful U.S. history.

“The historical outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents precisely nan benignant of grassroots power and enthusiasm that wins elections,” Munoz said.

Hours earlier, Future Forward, nan largest ace PAC successful Democratic politics, announced it had secured US$150 cardinal successful commitments complete nan aforesaid play from donors who were “previously stalled, uncertain aliases uncommitted,” a elder advisor said.

Taken together, nan fundraising detonation puts Harris successful a ascendant position to unafraid nan Democratic Party’s general statesmanlike information astatine adjacent month’s nationalist normal — if not sooner. The philanthropist class’s clasp comes arsenic she locks up endorsements from nan immense mostly of Democratic governors and members of Congress.

The immense haul besides ensures that Harris and her friends tin compete pinch Donald Trump, who has generated stunning fundraising totals of his ain successful caller weeks arsenic he fights to return to nan White House pursuing aggregate felony convictions and an assassination attempt.

“This is nan adjacent procreation group person been waiting for,” Michael Kempner, a personnel of Biden’s nationalist finance team, said of Harris’ emergence. “The donors I’ve spoken to are enthusiastic astir supporting her. And moreover those that whitethorn person preferred an unfastened normal person quickly coalesced astir her overnight.”

Harris’ first 24-hour fundraising full easy bested nan US$50 cardinal Trump raised instantly aft felony convictions and nan US$38 cardinal Biden secured complete nan 4 days that followed past month’s disastrous statement performance. The Trump run has not said really overmuch it raised instantly aft past weekend’s assassination attempt; a spokesperson didn’t respond to a petition Monday.

Overall, nan Harris run said 888,000 grassroots donors made donations complete nan erstwhile 24 hours; much than 500,000 were making their first publication of nan 2024 run cycle.

And while location are a fewer vocal holdouts among nan party’s elite philanthropist class, astir look to beryllium lining up down Harris arsenic they mobilize to thief capitalize connected her newfound momentum.

At slightest 2 awesome philanthropist calls were scheduled by Harris friends Monday, while nan Democratic National Committee was group to big different awesome philanthropist telephone successful nan mediate of nan week.

Most big-dollar donors wanted Biden to measurement aside, arsenic did nan mostly of rank-and-file Democratic voters. And connected Monday, location was a palpable consciousness of alleviation and excitement among those who feared Biden would not take to measurement aside, contempt overwhelming concerns astir his beingness and intelligence strength.

“It was a cliffhanger. Nobody really knew what was happening,” said Michael Smith, an Los Angeles philanthropist who, on pinch his partner James Costos, held galore fundraisers for Biden. “Now it’s a caller game. And successful a TikTok-influenced world, nan run up is going to beryllium short, move and reenergizing.”

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Not everyone was happy.

Democratic philanthropist Vinod Khosla, a tech billionaire, said connected societal media that he isn’t fresh to backmost Harris immediately.

“I want an unfastened process astatine nan normal and not a coronation,” he posted connected X. “The cardinal still is who tin champion hit (Trump) supra each different priorities fixed really overmuch a threat he is.”

John Morgan, different awesome Democratic donor, indicated he would not raise immoderate much money for Harris if she becomes nan nominee, having already fixed US$1 cardinal to Biden.

“You person to beryllium enthusiastic aliases hoping for a governmental assignment to beryllium asking friends for money. I americium neither. It’s others’ move now,” Morgan posted connected X.

Such critics appeared to beryllium successful nan number Monday.

Chad Griffin, a personnel of nan campaign’s nationalist finance committee and a apical Democratic fundraiser successful nan Los Angeles area, said nan statement is fortunate to person Harris “ready to decorativeness nan occupation she and President Biden started together.”

“She’s nan trusted, tested leader we request to transportation america to triumph successful November,” he said successful a statement. “I americium each successful to elite Kamala Harris our adjacent President of nan United States.”

With Biden’s endorsement, Harris’ run appears to person inherited his sprawling nationalist infrastructure and tens of millions of dollars that his squad antecedently raised. At nan extremity of June, nan Biden-Harris run reported astir US$96 cardinal rate successful nan bank, according to a filing pinch nan Federal Election Commission.

On Sunday, nan Biden-Harris run revenge caller paperwork pinch nan FEC establishing Harris arsenic nan main candidate. There is immoderate statement among run finance officials complete whether Harris now has complete power of nan funds, though fewer expect immoderate superior ineligible challenges.

Meanwhile, Harris’ run sent retired a caller flurry of fundraising emails and matter messages Monday.

“Now is our chance to make history,” Harris declared successful 1 matter connection asking donors for US$20.

–AP writers Brian Slodysko and Christopher Megerian successful Washington contributed.