click to enlarge - File: James Buck
- Sen. Bernie Sanders in Burlington last May
In the final three months of 2015, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) raised more than $33 million for his presidential bid, his campaign announced Saturday.
For the second quarter in a row, Sanders collected nearly as much as Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, whose campaign reported raising $37 million for the primary election. Clinton raised an additional $18 million through various Democratic Party fundraising entities for use in the general election, her campaign announced Friday.
Sanders took in a total of $72.8 million in 2015, his campaign said, and ended the year with $28.4 million in the bank. Clinton raised $112 million for her primary campaign in the same period and reported having $38 million to spend.
Details of the candidates' fundraising and spending won't be known until late this month when they file formal reports to the Federal Election Commission. But according to the Sanders campaign, the vast majority of his money came from small contributions in 2.5 million individual donations. Just "a few hundred" of his more than 1 million donors contributed the maximum contribution of $2,700, his campaign said, meaning that most can continue giving. His average donation amounted to $27.16.
“This people-powered campaign is revolutionizing American politics,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a written statement. “What we are showing is that we can run a strong, national campaign without a super PAC and without depending on millionaires and billionaires for their support. We are making history and we are proud of it.”