New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker says he raised over $5 million in the two months since he launched his presidential campaign, and has over $6.1 million cash on hand.
Booker announced the figure in an email to supporters. Booker’s sum puts him near the back of the pack in fundraising. Of those candidates that have announced their figures, only entrepreneur Andrew Yang announced raising less than Booker.
Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke raised $6.1 million during his first 24 hours of presidential campaigning beginning March 14, edging Bernie Sanders’ $5.9 million over the same period to top the Democratic field.
Booker noted that 82% of his contributions came from people that had never contributed to his campaign before.
Booker said Sunday he feels “incredible” about the fundraising haul.
Not enough to compete for the long haul but hopefully he can stay in through the debates. I like Booker, he’s more empathetic than most politicians and has a real passion for helping people in my opinion. Not sure 2020 is his moment (mostly due to some real and some perceived centrism which InstaOutrages™ the louder elements of the progressive wing of the party) but he has time, I hope he continues to run as I think he’d be an excellent President.
It’s crazy how $5 million isn’t really all that much. Takes way too much money to run a successful campaign. Plus it’s too long, well over a year of this.
On the positive side, most of the current Dem candidate field is not familiar at all to the voting public at large, which is why polling right now is mainly just name recognition with Biden and Bernie at the top.
A long primary period gives the lesser-known candidates time to raise their profiles ahead of the debates. With 20 candidates debating in two separate groups of 10, every bit of name recognition will help before they get on stage.
What you say is the bitter truth. All of it.
I more think the debates constitute the primary way for candidates to raise their profiles and they can’t start too soon. June 26-27 will be a great help in beginning to narrow the field and providing some focus.
Let the games begin.
For 2020, over a billion dollars will be spent pursuing a job that doesn’t have that great a paycheck. (It seems at first glance like a bad investment, except that the wealthy keep getting their tax breaks, which probably more than cover the investment.)