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Jimmy Williams
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign has now raised a staggering $540 million as it prepares for a high-stakes election against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.
The Harris campaign reported a significant boost in donations following the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, officially accepted their nominations.
In a memo released on Sunday, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon shared the impressive figures, crediting the momentum of Harris’ acceptance speech for helping the campaign cross the $500 million threshold. “Just before Vice President Harris’ acceptance speech Thursday night, we officially crossed the $500 million mark,” Dillon wrote. “Immediately after her speech, we saw our best fundraising hour since launch day.”
The surge in donations underscores the enthusiasm behind Harris’ campaign since President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid in late July, endorsing Harris as his successor. The campaign has since experienced rapid growth in financial support, outpacing Trump in what has become a tight race for funding. Trump’s campaign and related affiliates announced that they had raised $138.7 million in July, significantly less than Harris raised in the opening week of her campaign. At the start of August, Trump’s campaign reported having $327 million in cash on hand.
The Harris fundraising effort is powered by a combination of the Harris for President committee, the Democratic National Committee, and several joint fundraising committees. Nearly a third of donations during convention week came from first-time contributors, with young voters and women making up substantial portions of the donor base. One-fifth of the new donors were young voters, while two-thirds were women — critical constituencies that Harris’ campaign is banking on to win in November.
Along with the boost in donations, the campaign has also seen a massive surge in volunteer support. During convention week alone, nearly 200,000 volunteer shifts were filled by supporters eager to help the campaign. The Harris team is building on this wave of energy as it prepares for the final stretch of the general election campaign.
Harris’ ability to inspire such large-scale support reflects a strategy focused on engaging diverse voter groups, particularly women and younger Americans, two demographics the campaign is prioritizing as part of its path to victory. As the race intensifies, Harris’ fundraising prowess is expected to play a key role in the campaign’s efforts to secure key battleground states.
While Trump remains a formidable fundraiser, Harris’ early momentum has positioned her as a strong contender, both financially and in terms of grassroots mobilization, heading into the final months of the election season.
