President Joe Biden’s campaign committee raised $19.9 million from April to June, less than his total as one of more than a dozen candidates in an open primary four years ago, though his political operation it says it also raised an additional $52 million for Democratic Party groups.
The fundraising report underscores how Biden and his team have yet to fully commit to the 2024 campaign, and how they are leaning on the Democratic National Committee as the first place for campaign efforts. next year Only four people reported on the president’s campaign payroll: campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez, deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks, spokesman Kevin Munoz and general counsel Jennifer Maury Riggan.
The Biden campaign, the DNC and a joint fundraising effort that includes every state Democratic Party organization in the country announced Friday that they raised a combined $72 million in the second quarter, but the campaign did not explain how they distributed this money among these groups. .
The nearly $20 million that flowed directly into the campaign puts Biden slightly ahead of what former President Donald Trump raised from his campaign committee during the same period, and behind what Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, raised in less time than declared candidate.
It’s also a few million shy of the amount Biden raised in the second quarter of 2019, when he raised $22 million while running for the Democratic presidential nomination amid a crowded field. And it’s a far cry from the $46 million then-President Barack Obama’s campaign committee raised in the equivalent quarter of his re-election bid 12 years ago.
However, circumstances have changed since 2019. Biden, the head of the Democratic Party, is working hand in hand with the Democratic National Committee, using their time and resources to help raise funds for both his campaign and to the party And the money raised by both the national party and the 51 state and territory Democratic Party committees with which he is fundraising will help fund his 2024 efforts across the country, as well as those of other Democrats on the match
That’s why Rodríguez said Friday she was “delighted to announce” fundraiser, which he said will help the Biden campaign “build a strong foundation to win in 2024.” The DNC had $27.2 million in its bank account as of June 30, and tens of millions more are expected to be housed in a joint fundraising account that will distribute more funds to the campaign and party.
The campaign ended the quarter with more than $20 million in the bank, more than all but two Republican presidential candidates had in their accounts at the end of the quarter: Trump ($22 million) and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott ($21 million).
Just over $5.4 million of Biden’s campaign total came from donors who gave the maximum gift of $6,600 ($3,300 for the primary, $3,300 for the general election) to his campaign, the which means they can’t donate again for the 2024 election.
Biden’s campaign spent just $1.1 million from April to June, and nearly a third of that spending went to “service fees,” mostly on the ActBlue online fundraising program. The campaign’s other top spending included $226,000 in “text messaging,” $98,000 in “legal services” and $96,000 in contribution refunds, which typically occur when a campaign realizes a donor gave more than they were legally allowed.
