President Trump and the Republican National Committee announced on Tuesday that they had raised $125 million in reelection funds during the third quarter, a presidential fundraising record.
The figure passed the $105 million that the campaign raised in the second quarter and brought the total haul to over $308 million for 2019. In 2011, former President Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee managed just over $70 million for the third quarter in the buildup to his reelection campaign.
“President Trump has built a juggernaut of a campaign, raising record amounts of money at a record pace,” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale told the Associated Press.
The announcement comes in the midst of a storm of accusations regarding presidential abuse of power, but RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel pointed out that the negative press has galvanized Trump supporters.
“We are investing millions on the airwaves and on the ground to hold House Democrats accountable, highlight their obstruction, and take back the House and reelect President Trump in 2020,” she said.
As impeachment efforts began last week, the Trump campaign countered with a well-coordinated advertisement campaign, including a 90-second video montage highlighting impeachment discussions by Democrats over the last four years. According to Politico, the promotion resulted in more than 50,000 new donors and $8.5 million in donations in just two days — the campaign’s biggest haul to-date.
Several Democratic presidential candidates also revealed their third-quarter fundraising numbers on Tuesday. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont led the pack with $25.3 million over the last three months, followed by South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg’s $19.1 million and Senator Kamala Harris of California, who raised $11.6 million.
Former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, currently the two frontrunners for the nomination, have yet to reveal their figures.