Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton reported nearly $33 million in cash on hand at the end of the third quarter, boasting in an email to supporters that this is more than any other 2016 presidential candidate.
The former secretary of state raised some $29.45 million over this same time period, winning the money race for the second consecutive quarter. The one downside is burn rate. Clinton spent just under $25.8 million, almost as much as her nearest Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders raised during the quarter. Nevertheless, her campaign’s reported cash on hand is up.
The Clinton campaign has touted its frugality, but $8.5 million of its total spending went to salaries and associated taxes. She spent $3.4 million on television advertising, $2.6 million on online ads and $2.5 million for digital marketing. The campaign has also shelled out over $1 million for polls.
While Clinton’s numbers are undeniably impressive, Sanders isn’t far behind her. He raised $26.2 million, spent $11.3 million and finished the quarter with $27.1 million in cash on hand. Sanders has relied primarily on small donations and reportedly fewer than 300 of his contributors have given the maximum amount under the law.
