Klobuchar posts personal-best $11.4 million fundraising quarter
January 3, 2020
Sen. Amy Klobuchar raised $11.4 million in the final three months of 2019, her strongest fundraising quarter since launching her presidential campaign.
The Minnesota Democrat posted strong debate performances throughout the fall, which helped boost her fundraising as well as her performance in polls. The fourth-quarter haul gives her the financial heft to try to turn that into a strong showing in neighboring Iowa, the first caucus state and the key to Klobuchar’s campaign strategy.
But Klobuchar still lags behind the top Democratic candidates in both polling and fundraising. Former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have been bunched near the top of most recent polls of Iowa and New Hampshire, with Klobuchar lagging behind, nearer to the rest of the pack — though there has been sparse early-state polling in recent weeks, especially since the most recent Democratic debate on Dec. 19.
In fundraising, Sanders announced raising $34.5 million in the fourth quarter, while Buttigieg’s campaign said he raised $24.7 million and Biden brought in $22.7 million. Andrew Yang also raised $16.5 million.
Klobuchar's campaign said its average online contribution was $32, though it didn’t provide a figure for the overall average contribution. The campaign also did not share how much money it spent in the fourth quarter or how much it had left in the bank heading into January.
Klobuchar raised $4.8 million in the third quarter of 2019.
“Senator Klobuchar’s standout performances on the debate stage in October, November, and December resonated with voters and caucus-goers across the country," wrote Justin Buoen, Klobuchar's campaign manager, in a memo released Friday morning. "As a result, we have been able to double our staff in Iowa and New Hampshire and make critical investments in Nevada and South Carolina as well as prepare for Super Tuesday."
Klobuchar will have another chance to make her mark in a debate on Jan. 14, when the candidates will meet in Iowa for their last debate before the caucuses. Klobuchar has already met the polling and fundraising thresholds to qualify, according to POLITICO’s analysis.
Source: https://www.politico.com/
