About half of the money raised for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign comes from donors who previously supported the White House runs of his father or brother, The Associated Press reported.
Of the $120 million total Bush has raised, $60.3 million has come from those who contributed to the campaigns of George H.W. Bush or George W. Bush, according to Crowdpac.com, a nonpartisan political research organization.
{mosads}There are more 1,800 men and women who have given money to the White House bids of all three Bushes over the years, the group found, citing Federal Election Commission records.
Dirk Van Dongen, president of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, said he is part of a “huge” network of volunteer fundraisers in the Bush family arsenal known as “bundlers” — because they bundle together checks from friends and associates for the campaign.
“It is a vast network built over decades and it has grown even larger since Gov. Bush announced his candidacy,” Van Dongen told AP. “No other Republican candidate comes close to matching it.”
The money raised in the first six months of Bush’s campaign more than doubles any other candidate in the 17-person Republican primary field.
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton has raised almost $68 million.
Crowdpac reviewed named contributors who gave to Bush’s campaign, Bush’s Right to Rise PAC or his leadership action committee, American Bridge.
Bush is in second place in the GOP White House race, according to a RealClearPolitics polling average. He trails only businessman Donald Trump.