The campaign for U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has reported a remarkable fundraising effort in July, raising a total of $310 million. This comes in the wake of a significant increase in small donations to her presidential campaign, which is now gaining momentum.
According to the campaign, over $200 million has come from donations in the week following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race. This has led the Democratic Party (Det Demokratiske Parti) to rally around Harris, who is likely to secure the nomination as the party’s 2024 presidential candidate in the coming days.
The campaign also states that two-thirds of the donations in July came from first-time donors, indicating tremendous support for Harris’ candidacy. In comparison, the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, raised only $138.7 million in July, making Harris’ fundraising result more than double that of his.
Trump, who is preparing to face Harris in the upcoming election campaign in November, responded by claiming that he too has received considerable support from his followers. “We raised $139 million just in July,” he wrote on his platform, Truth Social. He has also escalated his attacks on Harris, questioning her racial identity, which many critics have labeled as “detestable.”
The debate between the two candidates is intensifying, as polls indicate a tight race, particularly in crucial swing states that will play a central role in the election. Harris is expected to announce her running mate soon, which could provide a boost in these important areas. Notable figures mentioned as potential running mates include Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched a new advertising campaign to challenge Trump for not committing to debate Harris. The DNC has purchased large advertisements that dominate the front pages of major local newspapers in states where Trump plans to campaign in the coming weeks. The ads claim that “the convicted felon is afraid to debate” and question whether this is due to his stance on abortion.
In May, Trump became the first former president in U.S. history to be convicted of a crime when he was found guilty in a bribery case in New York. He has previously boasted of his ability to “overturn Roe v. Wade,” the legal precedent that guaranteed access to abortion nationwide.
As Biden withdraws following a disastrous debate performance against Trump, the race for the White House is escalating, with both candidates preparing for a pivotal election on November 5.