Former President Trump and Republicans Boost Fundraising, But Biden Maintains Cash Edge
Former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party are ramping up their fundraising efforts, according to new reports, but President Joe Biden and the Democrats are maintaining a healthy cash advantage as of the beginning of this month.
The Republican National Committee saw a significant increase in fundraising in April, raising over $32 million, a 55% jump from the previous month. Combined with the Trump campaign, the national party had over $88 million in the bank by the end of April, showing a substantial increase since Trump became the party’s presumptive nominee.
However, the Democratic National Committee reported raising almost $35.5 million in April, outpacing the RNC’s fundraising efforts. Most notably, Biden’s campaign raised more than 2.5 times the amount of money compared to Trump’s campaign, with $24.1 million to $9.4 million.
While both candidates and national parties filed monthly reports with the Federal Election Commission, other key fundraising committees have not yet disclosed their financial information, leaving millions of dollars out of the full financial picture for now. Additionally, the arm of Trump’s political operation paying his legal fees received a significant boost.
Despite the uptick in Republican fundraising, Democrats still maintain a significant resource advantage, with Biden and the DNC starting May with $146 million in cash on hand compared to the $88 million for Republicans.
The fundraising boost for Republicans comes as the party settles under new leadership, with RNC chair Michael Whatley and co-chair Lara Trump leading the charge. Trump’s campaign press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, highlighted the momentum on Trump’s side, despite his legal battles.
Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, emphasized the importance of the April fundraising in mobilizing voters and building a strong campaign organization in key swing states.
The campaign finance reports also revealed that Trump has been using his ties with the national and state Republican parties to help pay his legal bills, with Save America PAC raising $9 million in April. The PAC spent a significant amount on legal consulting as Trump’s legal battles continued.
Overall, the fundraising landscape shows a competitive race between the two parties, with Biden maintaining a strong financial advantage while Trump and the Republicans see a boost in fundraising efforts.
