NEW YORK — Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis are dominating the fight for campaign cash in the Republican presidential contest, according to federal filings made public Saturday. While some struggled, like former Vice President Mike Pence, others reported significant hauls that help ensure the GOP's 2024 primary will be crowded for the foreseeable future.
On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden's reelection campaign quickly amassed a sizeable fortune, but longshot Democratic primary opponent Robert Kennedy Jr. also raised enough to ensure he won't be ignored.
Overall, the 2024 presidential class's second-quarter filings with the Federal Election Commission, covering the period between April 1 and June 30, leave unanswered several questions. For example, the total numbers of individual donors for each campaign, a figure tied directly to GOP debate participation, won't be known until the end of the month.
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Each candidate's allied super PACs, which in some cases account for the majority of their campaign's cash, won't file latest figures until the end of the month.
Still, the federal reports offer several insights six months before the first primary votes are cast.
This combination of 2023 photos shows, from left, former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
While Trump is leading most polls, he and DeSantis are in a tier of their own on the fundraising front.
Trump's team recently confirmed that his joint fundraising operation — which splits money between Trump's campaign and the Save America PAC — received $35 million in the second quarter. His campaign paid a little more than $153,000 for legal fees.
Overall, Trump's campaign reported more than $22.5 million in the bank as of June 30. The average donation to the former president's campaign now stands at $34 — evidence, the campaign said, of his grassroots backing.
DeSantis raised more than $20 million for the first six weeks he was in the race. While a massive sum, the Florida governor also burned through nearly $8 million in the same period, leaving his campaign with $12.2 million at the end of June. DeSantis' report also shows a significant reliance on high-dollar donors who won't be able to give any more money to his campaign.
Despite the potential warning signs, DeSantis' allied super PAC, which is legally barred from coordinating with the campaign, said it raised a stunning $130 million since the committee launched in March. More than half of that came from a state-level political committee once controlled by DeSantis.
DeSantis' fundraising will buy him some time to strengthen his candidacy as he struggles to catch Trump in the polls.
Republican presidential candidate businessman Vivek Ramaswamy speaks Friday during the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa.
The fundraising numbers carry additional significance because they are tied directly to the GOP's first presidential debate next month.
Beyond a 1% polling threshold, the Republican National Committee announced that candidates must have a minimum of 40,000 unique donors with at least 200 unique donors per state or territory, in 20 states and territories.
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy announced in recent days they reached that threshold. Pence has yet to make such an announcement.
Saturday's federal filings do not provide a complete accounting of such figures, which won't be available until the end of the month.
Overall, Haley's campaign raised $7.3 million in the second quarter and ended June with $9.3 million in the bank. That's as the main pro-Haley super PAC claimed $17 million cash on hand.
Scott raised nearly $6 million since announcing his campaign in May and finished the quarter with more than $21 million on hand, thanks to a big transfer from his Senate account. And Ramaswamy, a 37-year-old entrepreneur, raised more than $7.7 million in the quarter, including lending his campaign $5 million from his own personal fortune. He finished the quarter with more than $9 million on hand.
Christie, in the race for just 25 days of the second quarter, raised $1.65 million through his campaign and reported nearly $1.6 million in the bank as of June 30.
Pence, who struggled to find his footing since launching his campaign in early June, raised less than $1.2 million and finished the quarter with nearly $1.1 million in the bank, according to his federal filing.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at an event where he announced his run for president April 19 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston.
The lifelong conservative was vilified by the GOP base for refusing to block the certification of Biden's victory on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump insisted. The former vice president had no legal standing to block the election results despite Trump's claims to the contrary, which sparked a violent uprising at the U.S. Capitol at which radicalized Trump supporters chanted for Pence to be hanged.
Former Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson announced a fundraising total of more than $743,000 including his principal campaign and his joint fundraising committee. On Friday, he said he received contributions from 3,928 unique donors from April to June. And since July 1, he claimed contributions from another 2,516 unique donors.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the only Hispanic candidate in the Republican primary, raised $945,000 since launching his campaign two weeks before the end of the quarter. California conservative Larry Elder raised just $467,000.
Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised more than $72 million for his reelection in the 10 weeks since he announced his 2024 candidacy. The Biden campaign said the total came from nearly 400,000 donors; 97% of donations were under $200 and more than 30% of donors did not give to Biden in 2020.
Kennedy's campaign raised nearly $6.4 million for the quarter and had $4.5 million in the bank as of June 30. A pro-Kennedy super PAC, meanwhile, said it has raised more than $10 million so far.
The 2024 presidential field, in the order they've announced
Donald Trump, Republican
Donald Trump, Republican
Former President Donald Trump, aiming to become only the second commander-in-chief ever elected to two nonconsecutive terms, announced in November that he is seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump told a crowd gathered at Mar-a-Lago, his waterfront estate in Florida, where his campaign will be headquartered. - CNN
Nikki Haley, Republican
Nikki Haley, Republican
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, announced her candidacy for president on Feb. 14, becoming the first major challenger to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
The announcement, delivered in a video, marked an about-face for the ex-Trump Cabinet official, who said two years ago that she wouldn't challenge her former boss for the White House in 2024. But she changed her mind in recent months, citing, among other things, the country's economic troubles and the need for "generational change," a nod to the 76-year-old Trump's age.
"You should know this about me. I don't put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you're wearing heels," Haley said. "I'm Nikki Haley and I'm running for president."
Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican
Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican
Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and author, launches his 2024 campaign Feb. 21.
“We’re in the middle of a national identity crisis,” his video announcement began. “Faith, patriotism and hard work have disappeared, only to be replaced by new secular religions like Covidism, climatism and gender ideology.”
He has voiced support for changing the overall U.S. voting age to 25, unless younger Americans fulfill at least six months of service in the military or as a first responder — or pass the same citizenship test administered to those seeking to become naturalized citizens.
Marianne Williamson, Democrat
Marianne Williamson, Democrat
Self-help author Marianne Williamson, whose 2020 White House campaign featured more quirky calls for spiritual healing than actual voter support, launched another longshot bid for the presidency March 4, becoming the first Democrat to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the 2024 nomination.
“We are upset about this country, we’re worried about this country,” Williamson told a crowd of more than 600 at a kickoff in the nation’s capital. “It is our job to create a vision of justice and love that is so powerful that it will override the forces of hatred and injustice and fear.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Independent
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrat
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of one of the country’s most famous political families who has in recent years been linked to some far-right figures, kicked off his campaign in Boston on April 19 and likened his campaign to the American revolution.
“My mission over the next 18 months of this campaign and throughout my presidency will be to end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power that is threatening now to impose a new kind of corporate feudalism in our country,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy is a nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of his slain brother Robert F. Kennedy.
On Oct. 9, Kennedy dropped his bid for the Democratic nomination, deciding instead to run as an independent.
Larry Elder, Republican (dropped out)
Larry Elder, Republican
Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, who sought to replace the California governor in a failed 2021 recall effort, announced April 20 he is running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Elder, 70, made the announcement on Fox News' “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and followed up with a tweet.
“America is in decline, but this decline is not inevitable. We can enter a new American Golden Age, but we must choose a leader who can bring us there. That’s why I’m running for President,” he wrote.
Elder announced Oct. 26, 2023, that he was ending his campaign and endorsing former President Trump.
President Joe Biden, Democrat
President Joe Biden, Democrat
President Joe Biden on April 25 formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish this job” and extend the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.
Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, is betting his first-term legislative achievements and more than 50 years of experience in Washington will count for more than concerns over his age. He faces a smooth path to winning his party’s nomination, with no serious Democratic challengers. But he’s still set for a hard-fought struggle to retain the presidency in a bitterly divided nation.
Asa Hutchinson, Republican
Asa Hutchinson, Republican
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson formally launched his Republican presidential campaign April 26, pledging to “bring out the best of America” and aiming to draw contrasts with other GOP hopefuls on top issues, including how best to reform federal law enforcement agencies.
Hutchinson kicked off his 2024 bid in his hometown of Bentonville, on the same steps where he launched an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign 30 years ago.
“I ran as a conservative Republican when being a Republican was like having a career-ending handicap,” Hutchinson said, adding, “And now, I bring that same vigor to fight another battle, and that battle is for the future of our country and the soul of our party.”
Tim Scott, Republican (dropped out)
Tim Scott, Republican
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott launched his presidential campaign May 22, offering an optimistic message he hopes can contrast the two figures who have used political combativeness to dominate the early GOP primary field: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Scott, the Senate's only Black Republican, made the announcement in his hometown of North Charleston at Southern University, his alma mater and a private school affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
“Our party and our nation are standing at a time for choosing. Victimhood or victory?," he told cheering supporters, adding, "Grievance or greatness?"
Scott abruptly announced Sunday, Nov. 12, that he was dropping out of the 2024 race, a development that surprised his donors and stunned his campaign staff just two months before the start of voting in Iowa’s leadoff GOP caucuses.
Ron DeSantis, Republican
Ron DeSantis, Republican
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his 2024 presidential campaign May 24 with firm words but a disastrous Twitter announcement.
While he tried to project confidence, DeSantis' unusual decision to announce his campaign in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk ultimately backfired. The audio stream crashed repeatedly, making it virtually impossible for most users to hear the new presidential candidate in real time.
“American decline is not inevitable — it is a choice. And we should choose a new direction — a path that will lead to American revitalization,” DeSantis said on the glitchy stream, racing through his conservative accomplishments. “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback."
Mike Pence, Republican (dropped out)
Mike Pence, Republican
Former Vice President Mike Pence opened his bid for the Republican nomination for president June 7 with a firm denunciation of former President Donald Trump, accusing his two-time running mate of abandoning conservative principles and being guilty of dereliction of duty on Jan. 6, 2021.
Pence is the first vice president in modern history to challenge the president under whom he served. While he spent much of his speech, delivered at a community college in a suburb of Des Moines, criticizing Democratic President Joe Biden and the direction he has taken the country, he also addressed Jan. 6 head-on, saying Trump had disqualified himself when he declared falsely that Pence had the power to keep him in office.
Pence dropped out of the race Saturday, Oct. 28, after struggling to raise money and gain traction in the polls.
Chris Christie, Republican
Chris Christie, Republican
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wasted no time going after Donald Trump while launching his presidential campaign June 6, calling the former president and current Republican primary front-runner a “lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog" and arguing that he's the only one who can stop him.
Kicking off his campaign with a town hall at Saint Anselm College, Christie suggested that other top Republicans have been afraid to challenge Trump or even mention his name much while campaigning — but made it clear he had no such qualms.
Doug Burgum, Republican (dropped out)
Doug Burgum, Republican (dropped out Dec. 4, 2023)
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a former software entrepreneur who enacted a slate of laws this year advancing conservative policies on culture war issues, highlighted his small-town roots and business experience as he announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on June 7.
The governor of the nation's fourth-least populous state kicked off his campaign in Fargo, near the tiny farm town of Arthur where he grew up.
“Small-town values have guided me my entire life,” Burgum told the crowd. “And frankly, big cities could use more ideas and more values from small towns right now.”
Burgum ended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday, Dec. 4, after a stronger-than-expected showing fueled by a gift card-for-campaign donation gimmick that helped get him on the debate stage.
Francis Suarez, Republican (dropped out)
Francis Suarez, Republican (dropped out)
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination June 15, jumping into the crowded race just days after GOP front-runner Donald Trump appeared in court on federal charges in Suarez's city.
The 45-year-old mayor is the only Hispanic candidate in the race. He has gained national attention in recent years for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye toward turning the city into a crypto hub and the next Silicon Valley.
Suarez, who is married with two young children, is a corporate and real estate attorney who previously served as a city of Miami commissioner. He has also positioned himself as someone who can help the party further connect with Hispanics. In recent months, he has made visits to early GOP voting states as he weighed a possible 2024 campaign.
Will Hurd, Republican (dropped out)
Will Hurd, Republican (dropped out)
Former Republican Texas congressman Will Hurd suspended his presidential bid and endorsed fellow GOP primary candidate Nikki Haley, officially abandoning a brief campaign built on criticizing Donald Trump at a time when his party seems even more determined to embrace the former president.
