DNC taps Obama for fundraising help < > as RNC br
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as RNC breaks presidential fundraising record
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is pushing for former President Barack Obama to take a more active role in campaigning as Democrats struggle to raise money for the 2020 election. Obama will reportedly attend a fundraiser in Silicon Valley next month, where ticket prices run as high as $355,000. This will be his first political speech since last year’s midterm elections.
On the other hand, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Trump campaign raised a combined $125 million last quarter. Both now have a record breaking $157 million cash-on-hand.
“A president has never gone into reelection with this much fundraising, this much grassroots support,” said RNC national spokeswoman Liz Harrington. “If you look at what President Obama had raised at this quarter in 2011 it was only $70 million.”
The average donation was $44.50 and 98 percent of donations were $200 or less. Part of the increase in small donor donations is due to the Republican online fundraising site Win Red. President Trump unveiled the platform back in June, which is designed to compete with the Democrats Act Blue fundraising operation.
In its first three months, Win Red raised more than Act Blue in three and a half years. With a record amount of cash, the RNC is focusing on building a strong ground team for 2020.
In this Oct. 17, 2019, photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
“The DNC just cannot catch up at this point, we’ve invested over $300 million into our data operation,” said Harrington. “We have been consistently on the ground, states we’ve never left, and we’re actually expanding the map as well, we’re on the ground right now in 19 states.”
While Democrat candidates such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg have individually raised millions, the Democratic National Committee only has $8.6 million cash on hand. The lack of funds, a crowded primary field, and the Democrats continued push on the divisive issue of impeachment is giving President Trump and Republicans the upper-hand as 2020 approaches.