U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris raised an impressive nearly 47 million dollars in just seven hours after receiving the endorsement of President Joe Biden as her possible successor in the November elections.
That significant financial support was channeled through ActBlue, one of the main donation platforms for the Democratic Party.
Most of those contributions come from small donors, reflecting a growing enthusiasm among the Democratic base afterBiden's withdrawal.
"Until 9:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, grassroots supporters have raised $46.7 million through ActBlue following the launch of Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign," can be read on X.
ActBlue added that this Sunday became the highest fundraising day of the 2024 election cycle.
"The small donors are excited and ready to face these elections," added the platform.
The increase in fundraising not only benefits Harris's campaign but also other candidates and Democratic groups, demonstrating a level of enthusiasm that ActBlue described as "unseen so far in this cycle."
In the first five hours of Harris's campaign, ActBlue had already raised more than 27.5 million dollars in donations.
A notable example is David Hogg, gun control activist and survivor of the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, who issued a challenge on social media to quickly raise funds for the new presidential candidate.
His appeal raised $250,000 in just a few hours.
President Biden's decision not to run for reelection came after weeks of calls from Democrats for him to withdraw from the race, especially following a disastrous performance in a televised debate with former Republican President Donald Trump.
Finally, Biden and his campaign team heard those calls, deciding to step aside last Sunday.
Since Biden's announcement, numerous Democrats have expressed their support for Kamala Harris as the likely party candidate for the November elections. Harris has confirmed that she will run, thereby consolidating her position as one of the most prominent figures in the Democratic Party in the current electoral cycle.
Support from Delegates and Political Figures
Less than 24 hours after Biden dropped out of the presidential race and nominated Harris, the vice president has the support of more than 531 delegates out of the 1,986 needed to secure the nomination, according to a count by The Hill.
These delegates have confirmed their vote for Harris at the Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Chicago from August 19 to 22.
Numerous political figures from the party have also shown their support for Harris.
According to the Washington Post, of the 263 Democratic senators and lawmakers and 23 governors, a total of 179 have endorsed Harris, while 107 have not yet done so.
Former President Barack Obama urged the Democratic Party to nominate an "extraordinary candidate" for the November elections, although he avoided directly endorsing Harris.
Other democratic leaders, such as Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi, also avoided mentioning Harris in their reactions to Biden's decision.
Jaime Harrison, president of the Democratic National Committee, promised that the party will be governed by "established rules and procedures" to carry out a "transparent and orderly" process.
Kamala Harris, for her part, thanked Biden for his support and confirmed her intention to run for the nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
The financial and political backing that Kamala Harris has received following Joe Biden's announcement has been strong. The vice president faces the challenge of consolidating this support as she moves toward the Democratic nomination and the elections in November.
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