Elizabeth Warren raised $24.6 million in the third quarter of 2019, her campaign announced Friday, a sum that puts her three-month total $9 million ahead of primary rival Joe Biden and less than $1 million behind Bernie Sanders.
The Massachusetts senator’s haul is an increase from the $19.1 million she raised in the second quarter of the year and demonstrates that her grassroots donor support is increasing alongside her rise in presidential primary polls. Several recent national and early state polls put her ahead of Biden, the former vice president and Delaware senator.
The $24.6 million is the second-largest second-quarter sum of the highest-polling Democratic presidential candidates. Biden raised $15.3 million in the third quarter, Sanders raised $25.3 million, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg raised $19.1 million and California Sen. Kamala Harris brought in $11 million.
“Elizabeth says that running for office is an act of optimism. I think that’s true of donating to a political campaign, too,” Warren campaign manager Roger Lau said in a statement. “When you make a contribution, you’re rejecting cynicism — you’re recognizing your power in your democracy, and your ability to shape our future.”
Warren’s campaign said it has $25.7 million cash-on-hand. Biden, Sanders and Buttigieg did not revealed how much money is in their war chests along with their third quarter fundraising figures.
The $24.6 million came from about 500,000 individual donors who accounted for 940,000 donations. The average donation was $26.
The Massachusetts senator, who campaigns on breaking up large tech companies and reducing Wall Street’s influence on politics, has rejected traditional large-dollar donor events and soliciting large contributions. Instead, she periodically calls small donors to thank them for donating, and posts some of those conversations on social media.
“I’m grateful down to my toes for every grassroots supporter who chipped in to help raise $24.6 million in the third fundraising quarter,” Warren said in a tweet on Friday. “Together, we’re building a movement that’s going to put power back in the hands of the people.”
I’m grateful down to my toes for every grassroots supporter who chipped in to help raise $24.6 million in the third fundraising quarter. Together, we’re building a movement that’s going to put power back in the hands of the people. pic.twitter.com/gGdBi7Mzrv
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) October 4, 2019
