Updated at 1:01 p.m.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) collected $18 million for his presidential bid from April through June, his campaign announced Tuesday. The candidate transferred another $6 million he’d previously raised to his 2020 presidential campaign account.
The new money came from nearly 1 million donations, which averaged $18 a pop, the campaign said. More than 99 percent of those contributions amounted to $100 or less, and 45 percent of donors were 39 years old or younger. The campaign reported having roughly $30 million in its presidential account at the end of June.
Because the campaign does not have to file comprehensive fundraising reports to the Federal Election Commission until later this month, Seven Days was not able to independently verify the figures.
“I think the number, from our perspective, demonstrates a campaign that is persistent, resilient and strong,” campaign manager Faiz Shakir told reporters Tuesday morning. “It demonstrates that it is a people-powered campaign when you have nearly a million contributions coming into this campaign.”
While the $18 million is a significant sum of money, it represents a day-to-day slowdown from Sanders’ first months in the race.
In the first quarter of 2019, the candidate raised nearly $18.2 million. But because he did not enter the race until February 19, that money came in over just 41 days. That means he raised a daily average of roughly $443,900 that period. During the 91 days of the second quarter, he took in an average of roughly $197,800 a day.
It’s unclear how Sanders’ fundraising compares to most of his rivals because few have announced their second-quarter totals. At least one candidate performed better: Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., announced Monday that he’d raised $24.8 million in donations over the past three months.
Sanders’ aides downplayed the success of candidates who have been “over-reliant” on donors contributing the maximum personal contribution of $2,800.
“Some folks are going to have really big numbers in this quarter,” said senior adviser Jeff Weaver, “but they’re going to be scrambling in subsequent quarters to find those $2,800 donors to replace the ones that have been used up this time.”
Similarly, the aides criticized candidates who hold fancy fundraisers — sometimes behind closed doors.
“To his credit, Joe Biden has opened his [fundraisers] up and we learned from him that he said that nothing will fundamentally change for you,” Shakir said of the former vice president. “That’s what he told some of his high-end donors in a closed-door room. The others that are collecting that money, we don’t know what they’re saying to the donors.”
According to Shakir, teachers gave more to the campaign than any other profession, and Walmart employees gave more than employees of any other company.
That, Shakir said, “is the kind of support that we would take any day of the week over a cushy, closed-door, high-dollar fundraiser in New York City in which people eat parmesan-crusted salmon on toothpicks.”
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Seems like plenty consider there are two dozen candidates
$18.00 a pop my butt.. he is getting money from foreigners and big pharmacies. The real question here is how much of this $18 million will go into his back packet ?!!!? Just like the money he got from 2016. Went right into his back pocket along with the pay off to leave the race..He has no intention to be president. heck, he doesn’t even do his job as senator.!!!! Jeff Weaver is so full of it.. wonder how much he’s putting in his pocket???
What fantasy land does Donna Boutin inhabit? I’d like to see one shred of evidence for the poppycock she’s spouting. As the volunteer who opens most of the campaign’s mail, I can categorically confirm the small donation levels and the broad base of Bernie’s support. We reject any business check that comes in.
@ Barbara Alsop
What poppycock are you spouting.? All business checks are rejected!!! Wait while I put my waders on as the cow manure is getting high .. He hasn’t been honest since he stepped foot in Vermont. He lied to me 3 times and I proved him WRONG. He’s lived off his friends and the Government from day one.. Keep drinking the Koolaid…. As my friends from the south would say ” Bless your ” !!!