Presidential campaign:
Democrat Pete Buttigieg announces big spike in secondquarter fundraising, to $24.8 million, qualifying him for fall debates.
WASHINGTON — Democrat Pete Buttigieg said Monday that he took in $24.8 million during the second fundraising quarter, more than triple what the South Bend, Ind., mayor raised during the first three months of the year for his surprise hit presidential campaign.
Buttigieg was the first White House contender to announce his fundraising numbers for the quarter, which ended at midnight Sunday. His haul amounts to a show of strength at a critical early juncture in the race where fundraising figures, and the number of people giving to a campaign, aren’t just indicators of viability but criteria for qualifying for the third debate in September. A second debate, July 3031 in Detroit, has the same qualification criteria as the first round.
“Pete has proved why he is a toptier candidate for the nomination,” campaign manager Mike Schmuhl wrote in an email to supporters.
Buttigieg, 37, surprised many people with a firstquarter haul of roughly $7 million that topped many of his betterknown rivals and helped place him in the upper echelon of a crowded 2020 field that has drawn more than 20 contenders. His latest numbers further cement him as a leading candidate and are sure to draw notice from rival campaigns, many of whom have struggled to raise money.
The $24.8 million sum tops the $18 million raised last quarter by Bernie Sanders, who led the Democratic field in fundraising during that period.
More important, Buttigieg is doing well enough in public opinion polls and has received contributions from more than 400,000 people, which secured his debate spot in September.
Democratic National Committee requires participants to hit 2% in multiple polls and 130,000 individual donors. Though many campaigns are worried, DNC Chairman Tom Perez has resisted pressure to relax the requirements.
Currently, the only other locks for the fall debates are former Vice President Joe Biden, Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Sen. Kamala Harris.