Harris campaign shatters fundraising records with $47 million surge after Biden’s withdrawal

Small-dollar donors raised nearly $47 million on ActBlue (software company) within seven hours of Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign launch, the Democratic fundraising platform announced on July 21.

As of 9 p.m. ET on July 21, ActBlue reported that grassroots supporters had contributed $46.7 million following Harris's campaign debut. This marks the largest single-day fundraising total of the 2024 election cycle, underscoring a fervent response from Democratic voters. The figure includes all donations made through ActBlue, not solely those directed to Harris’s campaign, Caliber.Az writes, citing the American media.

The date July 21 also saw President Joe Biden announce his decision to step aside from the presidential race just before 2 p.m., extending his “full support and endorsement” to Harris. The move came amid growing pressure from Democrats for Biden to withdraw following a poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump.

In the initial five hours following Harris's campaign launch, ActBlue reported over $27.5 million in contributions from small donors.

The New York Times highlighted that on July 21 was the largest day for online Democratic donations since the 2020 election, surpassing previous records. The previous high was set the day after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September 2020, when ActBlue raised approximately $73.5 million.

Key Democratic donors have also rallied behind Harris since Biden's announcement. Reports suggest that Trump’s recent gains in fundraising had eroded Biden’s lead, and some $90 million from the president’s re-election campaign had been frozen amid calls for Biden’s exit.

The decision for Biden to withdraw came after mounting pressure from within the party, following a series of poor performances and growing calls for a change in the Democratic leadership. As Democrats consolidate around Harris, she has pledged to “earn and win” the Democratic presidential nomination as the party gears up for the upcoming election.