Kirsten Gillibrand claims she’s inching closer to the Democratic National Committee debate fundraising threshold.
“We’re now under 5,000 donors away from the 65K we need to guarantee my spot at the debates, where I’ll give the issues we care about the attention they deserve,” the senator for New York and presidential candidate tweeted on Thursday, her first disclosure of her contribution tally.
Our campaign is growing fast, and momentum is on our side. We’re now under 5,000 donors away from the 65K we need to guarantee my spot at the debates, where I’ll give the issues we care about the attention they deserve. Chip in $1 to get us there: https://t.co/U2OvpbFvFi
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) June 6, 2019
Gillibrand has already met the DNC’s polling target, which stipulates contenders must attract 1% or more in three opinion surveys. The White House hopeful, who holds Hillary Clinton’s old Senate seat, has until June 12, two weeks before the first series of debates hosted by NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo in Miami, to qualify.
Since May, new daily donations have almost tripled the average since she announced her candidacy, a campaign spokeswoman said. That number has increased to 7.5 the average in the last week, potentially spurred by her appearance in a Fox News town hall on Sunday in Iowa.
When asked about the DNC’s changes during the televised event, Gillibrand dismissed concerns the party was unduly interfering with the primary process.
“I’m going to play by the rules they set and I think they’ll do a fine job. But this is a marathon and not a sprint, and we’re just beginning,” she said. “At this stage, it’s so early. And I’m just introducing myself to the voters, telling you why I’m running for president and what I want to do for this country.”
To take part in the third and fourth debates in September and October respectively, Gillibrand will have to report at least 2% support in four polls and 130,000 contributors.
