President Trump’s re-election campaign raised a whopping $30.3 million in the first quarter of this year, matching and/or exceeding the pace of leading fundraisers among the Democrats, Fox News confirmed Sunday.
The Trump campaign said nearly 99 percent of its donations were of $200 or less, with an average donation of $34.26. In all, the campaign had $40.8 million cash on hand, an unprecedented war chest for an incumbent president this early in the campaign.
Trump’s fundraising ability was matched by the Republican National Committee, which brought in $45.8 million in the first quarter — its highest non-election year total. Combined, the pro-Trump effort reported $82 million in the bank. The numbers were reported first by The Associated Press.
Trump formally launched his reelection effort just hours after taking office in 2017, earlier than any incumbent had in prior years. By contrast, former President Barack Obama launched his 2012 effort in April 2011 and had under $2 million on hand at this point in the campaign. Obama went on to raise more than $720 million for his reelection. Trump’s reelection effort has set a $1 billion target for 2020.
Trump Keeping Pace With Democratic Challengers
Among Trump’s would-be Democratic challengers, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was leading the money race after taking in $18.2 million in the first quarter of this year. He was followed by California Sen. Kamala Harris, with $12 million. Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke ($9.4 million), South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg ($7 million) and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren ($6 million) rounded out the top five fundraisers among Democrats.
In the past, republicans have trailed Democrats in online fundraising. However, Trump has closed the gap, driving small-dollar donors who make recurring donations to the GOP at rates the party has never seen before. According to RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, Trump’s campaign already has seen eight seven-figure fundraising days this year and has taken in money from over 1 million new online donors since Trump’s inauguration — including 100,000 this year.
Trump is benefiting from the advantages of incumbency, like universal name recognition and his unrivaled position atop the Republican Party.
