Despite the fact that I still see Donald Trump as the favorite and still a bit ahead of Kamala Harris, she is providing more and more evidence that she is surging in the trends, both in the polls and now in financial support. It is possible that Trump-supporters believe that a former president doesn’t require as much financial support – it could well be true, and it’s just as possible that many have donated so much of money through the years that they’re no longer as interested. Either way, Harris’s numbers cannot be denied and they mean something.
The latest breakdown comes from a report in The Washington Post, noting the importance of “the other race” – the one for cash support. Harris is far ahead in this all-important measure. From the Post:
Harris’s campaign raised $190 million in August, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Friday night, and she spent almost $174 million in August — ending the month with $235 million in cash on hand.
The Trump campaign’s report showed that he raised $43 million in August and spent $61 million, with $135 million in cash to spend at the beginning of September.
Yes, those figures are real, they have to be reported to the FEC and then redistributed through the media. They cannot be denied. It is a fact that Harris raised four times as much cash (Closer to five times) as Trump and she ends the period with $100 million more than Trump.
It is somewhat appropriate to ask what those hundreds of millions actually mean with the election only 40 plus days away. It certainly won’t matter with respect to rallies and traveling. But it can buy more temporary consultants, more advertising – a lot more, and – this is key, allows for a battalion of lawyers to be on the ground and ready for any litigation in the aftermath. There will be litigation, as we all know.
As mentioned above, there is also the undeniable indication of a trend that Harris and her campaign needs. Not only does she continue to rise in polls but there is a palpable sense of energy that doesn’t yet factor in the post-debate momentum. This does almost as much for a campaign as polling trends, enthusiasm leads to greater effort, a greater sense of urgency, and thus an even greater sense of mission.
That last one, the greater sense of mission is more valuable than one might think. The campaign now breathes with emotions and adrenaline kicking in. The campaign is then infused with the thought of being a part of history, being on the winning side, being “right” in their eyes. The financial support is every bit as important as polls.
So, this is almost giddy-making news. Harris voters are passionate enough to open their wallets. To be sure, Trump will always have a very loyal bedrock. It is also true that – as an ex-president with a record, he doesn’t need as much money. But the trend remains and those in the Trump campaign might feel the opposite of all that motivation noted above. There is also a positive feedback loop, better news leads to greater enthusiasm, which leads to more donations, which leads to…
It is all critical because this race – especially in battleground states, appears to be Trump’s to lose. Perhaps I’m being too jaded. But I remember 2016 all too well. Perhaps many left-leaning voters do, too. It certainly provides one possible explanation.
God Bless. I can be reached at [email protected]
There’s also the possibility that the constant begging (and scam sales of almost everything) has bled the sheeples dry and they don’t have enough left to ‘donate’
That’s my thought. He has bled his sheeple totally dry. Scams, and all of his “next best things” that they “must” have, have tired out his base, I believe.
Very depressing that you think it’s trump’s race to lose in the battleground.