Joe Biden’s Campaign Raised $70 Million During Democratic National Convention
Joe Biden’s campaign saw a major infusion of donor cash during the Democratic National Convention, raising a reported $70 million over the course of the four-day event.
The former vice president’s campaign told CNN that their joint fundraising committees were able to bring in the significant chunk of money, just a week after collecting $48 million in donations in the two days after California Sen. Kamala Harris was selected as his running mate.
The report noted that August has been “enormous” for Biden’s effort as their fundraising hauls this month have wiped out the on-hand cash advantage that Donald Trump had long held over his opponent. It also showcased a strength that Biden did not show during the Democratic primaries, when he instead relied on key endorsements rather than major hauls of cash and was outraised by many of his opponents during key stretches.
The fundraising boost came amid an unconventional campaign, with events and fundraisers moving online as Biden pulled his operation off the road at the onset of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. This week’s event was held virtually, with delegates casting their ballots from their homes.
While this week’s four-day stretch of primetime events was heavy on the party’s optimistic vision for the future and attacks on Trump’s administration, raising more money to oppose the powerful Republican efforts took a strong emphasis as well. The Democratic National Convention was heavy on calls for donations, and the CNN report noted that it appeared to be a success.
“Biden’s campaign said that more than 1.1 million people texted 30330, the number that speakers and moderators cited throughout the convention through which Democrats help people register to vote,” the report said.
The four-day event itself saw lower television ratings than the 2016 event where Hillary Clinton formally accepted the party’s nomination, though Biden’s team said that a significant portion of people watched streaming live. There were a total of 85.1 million television viewers and 35.5 million more who watched online over the course of the event for a total of 122 million viewers.
The convention also appeared to give a major boost to Biden himself, who earned strong reviews for his speech, even from some of his critics. As The Inquisitr reported, a panel of Fox News commentators agreed that Biden exceeded expectations with the address, hitting a “home run.” Some blamed Trump and his allies for lowering expectations through months of claims that Biden was suffering cognitive decline and would fail in his public speaking attempts.
