Vice President Kamala Harris has ignited a wave of unprecedented financial support following her entry into the 2024 presidential race. New data reveals that in the first 10 days of her campaign, Harris received contributions from more individual donors than President Joe Biden did during his entire 15-month bid for re-election. This surge in donations not only reflects a significant shift in the Democratic base's enthusiasm but also positions Harris as a formidable contender against former President Donald Trump in the upcoming general election.
According to a detailed analysis by POLITICO, Harris's campaign, along with affiliated joint fundraising committees, garnered contributions from nearly 2.3 million individual donors between July 21 and July 31, shortly after Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the race. In contrast, Biden's campaign had just under 2.1 million donors dating back to April 2023, when he formally launched his re-election bid. The most striking aspect of Harris's fundraising success is that approximately 70 percent of her donors-over 1.5 million people-had not previously contributed to Biden's campaign or any other Democratic candidates this cycle.
This unprecedented level of support underscores Harris's ability to engage a portion of the Democratic base that Biden struggled to reach. Moreover, about 400,000 of Harris's new donors had contributed to Biden's 2020 campaign but had not supported his re-election effort, indicating a rekindled enthusiasm among previous Biden supporters now rallying behind Harris.
The financial windfall has equipped Harris with substantial resources to revamp her campaign as she prepares for what promises to be a highly competitive and expensive general election. Her campaign's coffers have swelled, enabling her to close the cash gap with Trump, who previously held a significant financial advantage. By the end of July, Harris's campaign had amassed $68 million more in the bank than Trump's, reversing the former president's cash lead.
Harris's rapid fundraising success is further highlighted by the sheer volume of contributions in her first month as the Democratic nominee. Reports indicate that her campaign raised nearly $500 million, with over 2 million donors contributing to her cause. This staggering figure includes $81 million raised within the first 24 hours of her campaign launch and $200 million in the week following Biden's withdrawal. Additionally, the announcement of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate generated another $36 million in donations within 24 hours.
The enthusiasm for Harris's candidacy is evident not only in the numbers but also in the geographic distribution of her support. While she attracted more donors than Biden from nearly every state, the largest increases were seen in her home state of California, followed by New York and Georgia. Conversely, Florida and Delaware saw the most significant drops in donor support compared to Biden's campaign. A POLITICO analysis of donor demographics suggests that a slight majority of Harris's supporters are female, similar to the composition of Biden's donor base.
Despite the overwhelming financial backing, it remains to be seen whether the excitement surrounding Harris's campaign will translate into broader appeal among the electorate. Donors represent only a fraction of voters, and the real test will come as Harris works to expand her support beyond the Democratic base.
