2020 Democrats offer early look at money race

WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential candidates have begun to release their first-quarter fundraising totals as the race for the nomination heats up.

Although the first quarter ended on the last day of March, the Federal Election Commission filing deadline is not until April 15. Candidates eager to tout their totals released their figures early. Of the numbers released, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., boasts the highest total: $18.2 million.

Several people may still get in the race, including former Vice President Joe Biden, who has been the leader in most early polling.

The top fundraiser in the first quarter of the year before a presidential election is not necessarily an indicator of future success. FEC data shows Ted Cruz led the fundraising race after the first quarter of 2015; Donald Trump didn’t even enter the race until the summer.

Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney were the top two Republican fundraisers in the first quarter of 2007, edging out eventual 2008 GOP nominee John McCain. On the Democratic side in 2007, Hillary Clinton finished ahead of future President Barack Obama.

On the other hand, Clinton led the pack in fundraising in the first quarter of 2015.

Here’s a look at some of the numbers candidates released:

Bernie Sanders

Sanders raised $18.2 million from 525,000 donors in the first quarter of his 2020 presidential bid, the Vermont independent’s campaign said Tuesday.

The campaign started with $14 million in the bank before fundraising began, bringing the total to $32 million, campaign manager Faiz Shakir said. Sanders had $28 million in cash at the end of the period, he said.

Kamala Harris

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said her campaign raised $12 million in the first three months of 2019 from more than 218,000 individual contributors.

Her campaign touted her small-dollar fundraising operation, noting that 98% of contributions were less than $100.

Pete Buttigieg

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said in a tweet Monday that his campaign had raised more than $7 million this year, which he said was evidence his team is “out-performing expectations at every turn.”

He posted a video offering a “complete breakdown” of the numbers, which he said included 158,550 donors, 64% of whom gave contributions of less than $200.

Beto O’Rourke

Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke has not released his first-quarter fundraising total, but last month, his campaign boasted that he raised $6.1 million within 24 hours of entering the race “without taking a dime from lobbyists, PACs, or corporations.”