Bernie Sanders raised $44 million in March. In February, the socialist senator from Vermont also raised an enormous sum, $43.5 million.
The massive cash haul is keeping Sanders going, despite his shrinking chances of becoming the Democratic nominee. The Wall Street Journal reports:
In interviews, many Sanders supporters said they were motivated by the senator’s pledges to address income inequality and overhaul the campaign-finance system, and they plan to continue lending financial support until the end. Only 3% of Mr. Sanders’s fundraising total has come from donors who have given the legal maximum of $2,700, and many backers have signed up to automatically contribute a modest sum each month. Aislinn Melchior, a professor from Tacoma, Wash., who has made several small contributions, said of Mr. Sanders: “I am willing to do whatever I can to help out his candidacy, even if it’s doomed.” Kenneth Pennington, digital director for the Sanders campaign, said the senator’s supporters understand that building a grass-roots movement doesn’t happen overnight. “They’re in this fight for the long haul,” he said. “That means when we win, our supporters respond in large numbers. When we lose, our supporters step up to help us win in the long run.” The practical effect of Mr. Sanders’s fundraising has been to extend the race, allowing the Vermont senator to continue his campaign likely until the Democratic National Convention in July. With contributions pouring in, Mr. Sanders can afford to match Mrs. Clinton dollar for dollar, forcing the former New York senator and secretary of state to continue to spend heavily on a primary campaign just as she hoped to be pivoting to the general election.
