Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) campaign raised a massive $25.3 million in the third quarter, according to the campaign total released Tuesday.
The Sanders campaign released its campaign total earlier than the bulk of the field, boasting of a massive $25.3 million raised in the third quarter alone — $7.3 million more than the $18 million his campaign raised in the second quarter. It is the “largest three-month sum a Democratic White House hopeful has posted all year,” according to the Associated Press (AP).
The campaign has stressed the importance of small, grassroots donations and reported that the $25.3 million haul came from 1.4 million individual donations, with an average donation of $18.07.
“Media elites and professional pundits have tried repeatedly to dismiss this campaign, and yet working-class Americans keep saying loudly and clearly that they want a political revolution,” Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir said, according to the AP.
His report surpasses Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) second-quarter report of $19.1 million raised, all of which stemmed from grassroots donors. Her third-quarter totals have yet to be released.
Only Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) — who has remained in the second tier of Democrat candidates — released fundraising totals alongside Sanders. His campaign reported $19.1 million raised, over $5 million less than his second-quarter total.
Sanders has raised $61.5 million since the launch of his presidential bid this year and has remained in the top tier of candidates, battling Warren and Joe Biden (D) for first place.
Recent polls show Sanders challenging Biden in the early caucus state Nevada, signaling trouble for the Biden campaign:
The current RealClearPolitics average shows Sanders in third place with 17.8 percent support.
The remaining candidates must report their fundraising totals to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by October 15.