Harris raised $361 mn in Aug from nearly 3 million donors, campaign says

Harris war chest is being used to fund a $370 mn paid media effort for final two months of the campaign, and to pay for its more than 2,000 field staff spread across 310 offices in battleground states

US Vice President Kamala Harris raised well more than double what former President Donald Trump took in from donors in August, her campaign announced Friday, saying it raised $361 million from nearly 3 million donors in her first full month as a candidate.

Trump's team had announced Wednesday he brought in $130 million over the same period. Harris' team says it ended the month with $404 million on hand for the final sprint to Election Day, $109 million more than Trump's campaign says it had at the end of August.

The massive Harris war chest is being used to fund a $370 million paid media effort for the final two months of the campaign, and to pay for its more than 2,000 field staff spread through more than 310 offices in battleground states.

Harris' fundraising builds on the $310 million she raised in July, the overwhelming majority of which came in after she took over President Joe Biden's campaign after he dropped out that month. The ticket swap has helped the Democratic party reverse the fundraising edge Trump had developed in the prior months, when voter doubts about Biden's fitness for another term dampened donor and voter enthusiasm.

In just a short time, Vice President Harris' candidacy has galvanised a history-making, broad and diverse coalition with the type of enthusiasm, energy and grit that wins close elections, Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. As we enter the final stretch of this election, we're making sure every hard-earned dollar goes to winning over the voters who will decide this election.

The figures released by both campaigns do not include full Federal Elections Commission filings, which will come later this month. Both campaign totals include fundraising by their respective national parties and associated committees.