US Vice President Kamala Harris has amassed approximately $500 million for her election campaign since becoming the Democratic presidential candidate, sources revealed to Reuters. This record-breaking sum highlights the strong support from donors as the November 5 election approaches.
According to four sources acquainted with the fundraising efforts, this amount has been accumulated over the four weeks since Harris officially entered the race on July 21.
Such campaign funds are vital for financing advertisements and mobilisation efforts, which are essential for encouraging voter turnout and swaying undecided voters.
Harris entered the fray after President Joe Biden stepped aside from the top of the Democratic ticket, unleashing floods of funding that had dried up in the weeks after Biden's disastrous debate against Republican Donald Trump.
Harris raised $200 million in the first week of her campaign while she quickly wrapped up support to become the party's nominee.
Harris' team raised $310 million in July, bringing the total amount of money raised by her and Biden before he dropped out to more than $1 billion, the most rapid crossing of that fundraising threshold in history, according to the campaign.
Trump's campaign said it raised $138.7 million in July and had cash on hand of $327 million. The former president's campaign outraised Biden in the second quarter.
Enthusiasm for Harris, whose July cash on hand came in at $377 million, has continued into August, manifested by donations from small-dollar donors as thousands of people show up to her rallies in political swing states across the country.
Biden's campaign committee raised $1.04 billion in the 2020 election cycle or $1.62 billion when combined with outside groups, according to OpenSecrets, a group that tracks money in politics.
Harris lauded Biden on Monday on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where the president, in his own remarks, touted his record and urged voters to back Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in November.
Former President Barack Obama, who is also a big fundraising draw, addresses the convention on Tuesday night, while Harris rallies voters in nearby Wisconsin.
Obama attended two high-profile fundraisers with Biden and has offered to help Harris with more.
Harris has repeatedly called herself an underdog in the race against Trump, in the hopes of preventing complacency among her voting and donor base.
The Treasury and the State Department imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and nine entities based in Iran and Russia
Democrat, Republican candidates to face each other in first and perhaps only debate as elections come closer
Floodwaters in Hanoi have reached levels not seen since 2008 as 764 people injured, 64 missing
As many as 196 environmentalists and land activists were killed worldwide in previous year, says UK right group
Most casualties occurred due to landslides and flash floods which also injured as many as 752 people
Australia's move to keep children off social media sites receives backlash from digital rights advocates
