Kamala Harris raises $633 million in third quarter but spends heavily in final push

Kamala Harris' campaign and affiliated Democratic groups raised about USD 633 million for the quarter, which ended last month, pushing their total to over USD 1 billion while maintaining a large financial advantage over Republican candidate Donald Trump in the presidential election's final sprint.

The vice president's campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state parties raised more than USD 359 million in September alone. Harris' campaign raised about USD 222 million in September. Harris' team alone spent more than it took in last month, paying out about USD 270 million to help boost a large advertising push, as it works to reach voters on the radio, television, online, billboards and other avenues.

The Harris campaign and affiliated committees entered October with USD 346 million on hand, according to federal filings.

US Election News Live: 'This is dumb,' angry users slam Trump for ignoring food safety at McDonald's that failed health inspection

Voters remain divided over whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris is better equipped to address key economic issues, according to a recent Associated Press-NORC poll. While Harris scores slightly higher on middle-class taxes, the overall sentiment about the economy is grim, with nearly half of respondents describing it as poor. Voters express concerns about rising costs and unemployment, with 7 in 10 believing the nation is on the wrong track.

US Election News Live: Elon Musk commits $1 million daily until US election to boost Trump, gives first cheque in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is again centre stage in American politics. The state, historically significant in the War of Independence, is now pivotal in the 2024 presidential race. Political analysts predict a nail-biting contest between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican contender Donald Trump, PTI reported.

Read more: US elections: Pennsylvania emerges as must-win for both Harris, Trump

In September alone, Harris’ campaign outraised Trump’s by more than a 3-to-1 margin, with her team pulling in $222 million compared to Trump’s $63 million. Harris has focused heavily on grassroots contributions, with two-thirds of the money raised last month coming from small-dollar donations. Her campaign has also expanded its donor base to over 600,000 recurring contributors, double the number from June.

Vice President Harris' campaign entered the final month of the 2024 election with a notable financial advantage over former President Donald Trump, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Harris, along with the Democratic National Committee, had $346 million in cash reserves as of October, compared to Trump’s nearly $285 million. Since entering the presidential race in late July, Harris has consistently outraised Trump, collecting over $1 billion to date, an unprecedented pace in presidential campaigns.

CBS’ "60 Minutes" has issued a statement refuting Trump's claims that the show had deceptively edited its October 7 interview with Vice President Harris at her campaign’s direction. Trump alleged that the show altered the segment to manipulate Harris' responses. However, "60 Minutes" clarified that it had simply used a more succinct portion of her response for their broadcast, while a longer section was provided to Face the Nation for use, as per a CNN report.

The statement underscored that when editing interviews, the show's goal is always to remain "clear, accurate, and on point." It also noted that Trump had previously withdrawn from his own scheduled "60 Minutes" interview earlier in the month.

Trump's recent behaviour and rhetoric have sparked concerns among political observers and opponents, particularly Harris and other Democrats. They argue that his actions reflect an erratic and autocratic leadership style, potentially hinting at a tumultuous presidency should he win the upcoming election. Trump's dismissive comments about Harris and his explicit remarks during public appearances have been criticised for undermining the dignity of the presidential office, with Harris asserting that his behaviour "demeans" the presidency and reflects an "unserious" approach to leadership. Despite these controversies, Trump's polling remains strong, particularly on key issues like inflation and immigration, which resonate with his supporters.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has slammed Elon Musk for what she termed "dangerous disinformation" after Musk claimed that Michigan has more registered voters than eligible citizens. In a post on X, Benson clarified the facts, stating that Michigan has 7.2 million active registered voters and 7.9 million citizens of voting age, effectively debunking Musk's assertion, as per an NBC News report.

Benson further urged people not to engage with misleading information, cautioning that misinformation can undermine trust in electoral processes, stated the report.

During a recent town hall event in Arizona, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who is supporting the Harris-Walz campaign, expressed strong opposition to the idea of taxing wealthy individuals on their "unrealised gains." He indicated that he would actively campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris if she pursued such a tax policy, which has been part of her proposed tax reforms, as per an NBC News report.

The discussion arose when an attendee asked Cuban about his views on taxing unrealized gains, highlighting concerns among some in the business community regarding the implications of such a policy.

Arnold Palmer's daughter, Peg Palmer Wears, responded to Donald Trump's controversial comments about the golfing legend during a rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Trump recounted a story suggesting that Palmer had unusually large genitalia, remarking, "He was strong and tough... when he took showers with the other pros, they came out of there they said, 'Oh, my God. That’s unbelievable.'"

In her reaction, Wears stated that while she was not upset by Trump's remarks, she considered them a "poor choice of approaches" to honor her father. She told The Associated Press, “There’s nothing much to say. I’m not really upset... what are you going to do?”

Meanwhile, before Kamala Harris and Donald Trump began their speeches, Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate and Governor of Minnesota, addressed the congregation at Victorious Believers Ministries in Saginaw, Michigan. Walz shared a personal story about his family's struggle with medical debt stemming from his father's battle with lung cancer, emphasizing the challenges many face in accessing healthcare.

Walz also criticised Trump for his visit to a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, highlighting it as an example of Trump's disconnect with the everyday struggles of Americans, as per a BBC report.

Trump's campaign has been characterised by increasingly off-script remarks, including vulgar references and inflammatory statements on immigration. He has referred to undocumented migrants as "animals," praised autocrats like Vladimir Putin, and portrayed the US as a country in decline, promising that only he can fix it. Harris underscored that Trump’s behaviour further damages America's standing and should disqualify him from holding office again.

Harris slammed Trump on Sunday, accusing him of "demeaning" the office of the US president with his coarse language, following his use of an expletive to insult her. In an interview aired on MSNBC, Harris expressed concern over how Trump's rhetoric impacts America's moral standing internationally.

"What you see in my opponent, a former president of the United States, really demeans the office," Harris said, responding to Trump's remark at a rally in Pennsylvania where he called her "a shit vice president." The comment was met with cheers from Trump's supporters.