Former national security adviser Susan Rice and her husband have funneled thousands of dollars into groups affiliated with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign.
Rice, a top contender to be Biden’s vice presidential running mate, gave the full contribution cap of $5,800 to the campaign throughout the course of the cycle. Rice and her husband, Ian Cameron, a former ABC News executive producer, also gave $24,000 to the Biden Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee that comprises the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and a few state Democratic parties.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, Cameron gave the Biden Victory Fund $5,600 two days before reports confirmed that Rice was among several women the former vice president was considering as his running mate. Three weeks later, Cameron donated another $5,600 to the fund.
Biden, who expressed early on in his campaign that he would choose a woman as his running mate, is set to announce his pick this week. Rice and Sen. Kamala Harris have risen as top contenders.
Whoever Biden chooses could have an ability to reach voters who are on the fence or increase voter intrigue among minority communities.
A reckoning over race in America that’s escalated over the past few months following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd has further driven advisers and strategists to push Biden to choose a black woman as his running mate.
Biden and Harris have shared personal ties in the past, particularly through Biden’s late son, Beau Biden, who was Delaware’s attorney general when Harris held the same position in California.
Rice’s ties to the Obama administration also makes her a candidate Biden would be more familiar with than others.
If Rice or Harris is chosen, either one would make history by becoming the first black woman to be a presidential running mate.
Among others under Biden’s consideration include Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, Reps. Karen Bass and Val Demings, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
As the vetting process draws to a close, most of the contenders have also tried to boost Biden financially as a way to add to the value they could bring to the campaign.
Warren has raised the most money for Biden out of all the possible choices, raising more than $7.7 million from a combination of a high-dollar function and grassroots efforts that brought in thousands of participants. In an invitation seen by Politico, Warren is also set to host another event on Tuesday with tickets ranging from $250 to $25,000.
Harris has raised more than $5 million for Biden. In June, a virtual fundraiser she threw raised over $2 million for the Biden Victory Fund.
Duckworth co-headlined three fundraisers with Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, as well as engaging in other events to raise money, bringing in more than $3 million total for the campaign.
