US Polls 2024: Kamala Harris outraises Trump by $231 million in August, leading with $404 million

Harris Leads Trump in Fundraising

Kamala Harris's presidential campaign and the Democratic Party raised $361 million in August, providing her with a significant cash advantage over Republican rival Donald Trump with two months remaining before Election Day, the campaign announced on Friday.

This fundraising boost left Harris with $404 million in cash on hand at the start of September.

In contrast, Trump's campaign team reported on Wednesday that they, along with the Republican Party, raised $130 million in August, ending the month with $295 million in cash on hand.

Both candidates are set to spend over $1 billion in this campaign, breaking records, according to regulatory filings. The funds are being used for advertisements and to build get-out-the-vote operations in key battleground states.

These fundraising totals, reported to U.S. election regulators, are closely monitored for indications of momentum ahead of the tightly contested November 5 election.

The figures do not include contributions from outside groups supporting each candidate.

A critical moment for both candidates will be their televised debate on Tuesday, the first since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Harris as his successor on July 21.

Harris's campaign has revitalised Democrats and donors, leading to a surge in opinion polls.

According to her campaign, three-quarters of the 1.3 million new donors to Harris in August had not contributed in the 2020 presidential election. More than six in ten of these new donors were women, and nearly one in five were registered Republicans or independents.

Despite this, polling averages indicate a tight race in crucial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia.

(Inputs from agencies)