Campaign Finance: Big Picture

In their March 2020 FEC filings (covering through Feb. 29), the campaigns of 25 major Democratic candidates reported total receipts of $2.06 billion dollars and total disbursements of $1.93 billion dollars.  Self funders Bloomberg and Steyer accounted for over half of the totals.  Individual contributions to the 25 Democrats totaled an impressive $708.4 million.  At this point in the campaign there were still six active candidates (Biden, Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Gabbard, Klobuchar and Warren), although Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropped out in the next couple of days.  Spending by the remaining candidates on Super Tuesday and subsequent March contests will bolster the figures.  As the second table below shows super PACs were not much of a factor.  Details



Who Has Raised the Most
Total Receipts and Total Individual Contributions as of Feb. 29, 2020
(Source: Federal Election Commission)
Bloomberg
$936.2 m
$851,404

 		Steyer
$344.1 m
$3.7 m

 		Sanders
$181.8 m
$168.5 m

 		Warren
$122.5 m
$110.9 m

 		Buttigieg
$101.5 m
$100.8 m
Biden
$88.0 m
$87.8 m
 
 Klobuchar
$53.2 m
$49.6 m
 Harris
$40.9 m
$39.3 m
 Yang
$38.4 m
$38.4 m
 Delaney
$29.3 m
$2.6 m
Booker
$26.0 m
$22.8 m
 
 O'Rourke
$18.4 m
$18.4 m
 Gillibrand
$16.0 m
$6.3 m
 Gabbard
$14.7 m
$12.0 m
 Castro
$10.3 m
$10.3 m
Williamson
$8.2 m
$8.2 m
 Bennet
$7.5 m
$6.8 m
 Inslee
$6.9 m
$6.9 m
 Bullock
$5.5 m
$5.5 m
 Hickenlooper
$3.5 m
$3.4 m
 
Swalwell
$2.6 m
$892,373
 Moulton
$2.3 m
$1.5 m
 de Blasio
$1.4 m
$1.4 m
 Ryan
$1.3 m
$1.3 m
 Sestak
$449,345
$440,127
 
Total receipts, which includes transfers and loans, shows how much the campaigns have to work with, while total individual contributions is an indicator of grassroots support.


Who Has Spent the Most
Total Disbursements as of Feb. 29, 2020
(Source: Federal Election Commission)
Bloomberg
$875.6 m

 		Steyer
$339.5 m

 		Sanders
$163.1 m

 		Warren
$111.4 m

 		Buttigieg
$91.2 m
Biden
$76.0 m
 
Klobuchar
$48.0 m

Harris
$39.7 m

 Yang
$34.5 m
 Delaney
$29.4 m
 
Booker
$25.0 m
 
 O'Rourke
$18.1 m

 Gillibrand
$14.5 m

 Gabbard
$13.5 m

 Castro
$9.7 m
Williamson
$8.1 m
 Bennet
$7.3 m

 Inslee
$6.9 m

Bullock
$5.4 m

 Hickenlooper
$3.5 m
 
Swalwell
$2.6 m
 Moulton
$2.3 m

 de Blasio
$1.4 m

 Ryan
$1.3 m
 Sestak
$445,768
 

The Republican Race Was Not Competitive
Total Receipts and Total Individual Contributions as of Feb. 29, 2020
Trump
$164.4 m
$65.5 m

 		Weld
$2.0 m
$1.8 m

 		Matern
$811,635
$54,113

 		Walsh
$504,905
$184,102

 		Sanford
$107,485
$94,287


 six months earlier...June 30, 2019 edition of this page

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