Dr. Ben Carson, the gifted neurosurgeon and political conservative who’s running for the Republican nomination for president, has a message for the political class in Washington, D.C., as he releases extra-impressive grassroots fundraising numbers at the end of this Federal Election Commission (FEC) quarter: “Here we come.”
“I am extremely gratified with the level of enthusiasm and support that our campaign has received, from all 50 states,” Carson said in a statement provided exclusively to Breitbart News.
The response to our message, namely demanding a more responsive and accountable government, has been clear and unequivocal, as demonstrated in the number of people who have shown their financial support for our campaign – 209,940 donations from 151,060 individual donors. The message to me and my campaign is keep working. The message to the Washington political class is, “Here we come!”
The numbers, provided to Breitbart News by Carson campaign spokesman Doug Watts, are nothing short of incredible for a first-time political candidate’s effort. Since March 3, Carson has raised $10.5 million. Some $8.3 million of that is in the quarter that just wrapped Tuesday evening. Since March 3, he’s earned 209,940 separate donations to his presidential effort—and 151,060 unique donors. Contributions are pouring in from all 50 states and donors from California, Arizona, Texas and Florida are Carson’s largest donor base in terms of numbers of contributors and amount of money donated. Lots of this fundraising, Watts says, has been done online but much of it has also been done over the phone and via direct mail.
It remains to be seen what will happen with Carson’s campaign, but he’s definitely a force to reckoned with. He just won the straw poll at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver this weekend, and clearly enjoys support across the country.
In the recently released Quinnipiac poll, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s lead slipped and Carson is one of those gaining on him. In May, Walker had 21 percent but now only has 18 percent. Businessman Donald Trump and Carson tied for second place with 10 percent each. Carson’s number rose from 7 percent in May, meaning the three percent shaved off Walker’s lead went to Carson. In May’s poll, Trump wasn’t even included so his 10 percent is extraordinarily impressive.
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