President Joe Biden’s campaign committee raised $19.9 million from April to June, less than his total as one of more than a dozen candidates in an open primary four years ago, though his political operation says it also raised an additional $52 million. for groups in the Democratic Party.
The fundraising report underscores how Biden and his team have not yet fully engaged in the 2024 election campaign, and how they are leaning on the Democratic National Committee as the opening stage for next year’s campaign efforts. Only four people were reported on the president’s campaign payroll: campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez, deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks, spokesperson Kevin Muñoz and general counsel Jennifer Maury Riggan.
The Biden campaign, the DNC and a joint fundraising effort that includes every state Democratic Party organization in the country announced Friday that they raised a combined $72 million during the second quarter, but the campaign in particular did not explain how. that money was divided among those groups. .
The nearly $20 million that flowed directly into the campaign puts Biden slightly ahead of what former President Donald Trump raised in his campaign committee during the same period, and behind what Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised in less time as declared candidate.
It’s also a few million less than the amount Biden raised in the second quarter of 2019, when he raised $22 million while fighting for the Democratic presidential nomination in the middle of a packed field. And it’s a far cry from the $46 million that then-President Barack Obama’s campaign committee raised during the equivalent quarter of his re-election bid 12 years ago.
However, circumstances have changed since 2019. Biden, the head of the Democratic Party, is working hand-in-hand with the Democratic National Committee, using his time and resources to help raise funds for both his campaign and the party. And the money raised by both the national party and the 51 Democratic Party state and territory committees he is raising funds with will help fund his 2024 efforts across the country, as well as those of other Democrats on the party ticket. .
That’s why Rodriguez said on Friday that she was «delighted to announce» the fundraiser, which he said will help the Biden campaign «build a strong foundation to win in 2024.» The DNC had $27.2 million in its bank account as of June 30, and tens of millions more are expected to be deposited into a joint fundraising account that will distribute more funds to the campaign and the party.
The campaign ended the quarter with more than $20 million in the bank, more than all the Republican presidential candidates had in their accounts at the end of the quarter: Trump ($22 million) and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott ($ 21 million).
Just over $5.4 million of Biden’s campaign total came from donors who gave the maximum donation of $6,600 ($3,300 for primary, $3,300 for general election) to his campaign, meaning they can’t donate again for the 2024 elections.
The Biden campaign spent just $1.1 million from April to June, and nearly a third of that spending was on «service fees,» mostly for the ActBlue online fundraising program. The campaign’s other major expenses included $226,000 in «text message outreach,» $98,000 in «legal services,» and $96,000 in contribution refunds, which typically occur when a campaign realizes a donor gave more than they were legally allowed.