President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign has seen a surge in donor interest, raising a remarkable $53 million in February. This figure, which includes contributions to Biden’s campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and related joint fundraising committees, has boosted the campaign’s total funds to $155 million by the end of February.
This record-breaking amount is the largest any Democratic presidential candidate has ever amassed at this stage in the election cycle, providing Biden with a significant financial advantage over former President Donald Trump, whose fundraising efforts have trailed behind the Democrats’ throughout the campaign season.
Despite facing low approval ratings and trailing Trump in some key battleground states according to certain polls, Biden’s fundraising success has been a beacon of hope for his re-election campaign. With a robust war chest, Biden’s team has been expanding its operations in battleground states, opening 100 offices, and recruiting 350 staff members this month.
The President has also been actively visiting electoral battlegrounds as the general election campaign kicks off, with upcoming stops in Nevada and Arizona. The campaign is obligated to reimburse the government for the cost of using Air Force One for political travel, in addition to covering other travel expenses.
Significant investments have been made in television advertising, including a $30 million initiative in battleground states that commenced after Biden’s State of the Union address earlier this month. The campaign reported that the speech generated $10 million in donations, a substantial amount not reflected in February’s figures.
Key fundraising events in February included a three-day tour in California, which was projected to raise up to $10 million, and the Republican primary in South Carolina, which brought in $1.6 million for Biden’s campaign. An email from First Lady Jill Biden following the release of special counsel Robert Hur’s report raised $853,000, while a contest offering supporters a chance to win tickets to an event featuring Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton raised $4 million.
Since the campaign’s inception last year, donations have been received from 1.3 million donors, with 97% of these donations being under $200. According to the campaign, February was the strongest month for grassroots fundraising.
Rob Flaherty, Biden’s deputy campaign manager, stated in an interview that the impressive fundraising figures are indicative of grassroots enthusiasm. He also noted that the campaign anticipates a significant increase in the number of donors as the reality of the Biden-Trump rematch sinks in with Americans.
In February, a series of email solicitations focusing on Trump as the likely GOP nominee and highlighting his past record drove up grassroots donations to Biden. The Biden team reported a 40% increase in fundraising from emails compared to the previous month.
“The salience of the contrast really grew over the course of this month,” said Flaherty. “We are now starting to see the performance of the anti-Trump content.”