(MENAFN- Live Mint) US Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign has raised USD 81 million in the first 24-hour period since incumbent President Joe Biden stepped aside from the presidential race and endorsed his deputy as the Democratic Party's new nominee.
Biden's decision to nominate Harris (59) follows weeks of intense pressure from fellow Democrats after his disastrous presidential debate performance against his Republican rival and former US President Donald trump last month.
Also read: US
elections 2024: Two hours after Biden's endorsement, Donald Trump leads 65-29 against Kamala Harris, forecast shows
Kevin Munoz, the spokesperson for Harris' campaign, said, "There is a groundswell behind Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is terrified because he knows his divisive and unpopular agenda can't stand up to the vice president's record and vision for the American people."
Also Read | US Secret Service admits to 'mistake' leading to Trump assassination bid
"Team Harris raised USD 81 million in its first 24 hours, adding to the near quarter-of-a-billion dollar war chest already amassed this election cycle. This haul reflects money raised across the campaign, Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees," a media release said.
Over 8,88,000 grassroots donors made donations in the past 24 hours, 60 per cent of whom made their first contribution of the 2024 cycle, it said, adding, "Team Harris' 24-hour raise is the highest 24-hour raise of any candidate in history."
Also Read | Prosecutor vs Felon: How Kamala Harris' strategy could unfold against Trump
"In the last 24 hours, Team Harris has added 43,000 new recurring donors, with over half of these recurring donors signing up for weekly donations. A call on Sunday evening hosted by Win with Black Women raised approximately USD 1.6 million in grassroots contributions alone. And Harris for President's official social media, @KamalaHQ, doubled its following overnight," the campaign said in a statement.
Also read: Oil drops as investors look past Biden exit, focus on weak fundamentals
Reacting to the support for the campaign, Munoz said, "The historic outpour of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections."
"Already, we are seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to the voters that will decide this election," he added.
Though Biden's endorsement almost seals Harris' position as the presidential nominee of her party, she still needs to get elected by the party's delegates during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19-22.
Also Read | US Elections 2024: Donald Trump donated to Kamala Harris as California lawmaker Also read: On Joe Biden's exit from US presidential race, Antony Blinken says 'he delivered historic accomplishments'
Biden has won 3,896 delegates as against 1,976 required to win the party's presidential nomination.
In a move that would give her access to the campaign funds, the Biden-Harris campaign amended filings with the Federal Election Commission to rename its principal committee and declare Harris a candidate for president.
Also Read | PM Modi, Biden, Trump, Obama, Putin walk the ramp; Elon Musk shares AI video
Following Biden's decision, Harris, who has been serving as the US' first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president since 2021, immediately secured the endorsement of former president Bill Clinton, thus making it a bit easier for her to win the delegate battle during the party convention.
An "overwhelming majority" of state Democratic Party chairs have announced their support for Vice President Harris as their nominee for president, the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) said in a statement.
MENAFN22072024007365015876ID1108469448
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.