Sanders’ Campaign Raises $18M From Working Class Donors

The U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders raised US$18 million for his presidential campaign in the second quarter as reported by his team Tuesday.

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The money came from “nearly 1 million donations,” the campaign said in a statement which means everyone donated U$18 in average. After Sanders transferred an additiona US$6 million from other committees, it brought the total to US$24 million, being a little less than South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg who raised US$24.8 million for the second quarter. 

"This is a movement built by working people all across this country," campaign manager Faiz Shakir said. "While other candidates court big money at fancy fundraisers, this campaign is supported by teachers, retail workers, and nurses who are putting what little money they have behind the one candidate who can bring about the transformative change this country needs."

The top ten common donors to Sander’s campaign were employess of conglomerate criticized by the politician, such as, Walmart, Target, and Amazon. The most common profession of donors was teaching. 

"Our strength is in numbers and we have a million person movement committed to this campaign who can give over and over again," said Shakir. 

In the first quarter Sander raised US$18.2 million. According to Center for Public Integrity reporter Carrie Levine, another US$18 million in the second quarter "signals the campaign has stayed steady."

Shakir acknowledged that Buttigieg raised more than Sanders from 294,000 donations i.e., an average of US$84. However he said that a lot of Buttigieg’s donation 2has to do with the fact of how [Buttigieg] is raising his money” meaning his reliance on big donations, on corporates. 

"By rejecting the influence of corporate money we have built a campaign that not only speaks to the working people and their issues but supports them in tangible ways," said Shakir. "This is what a Bernie Sanders presidency would look like."

Till now, only Sanders and Buttigieg reported their funds for second quarter. The Federal Election Commission's quarterly deadline for reporting fundraising totals was midnight on Sunday. Campaigns must submit their financial reports by July 15.

U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election campaign announced on Tuesday it had raised $54 million in the second quarter, after raking in more than $30 million in the first quarter.