RNC spokeswoman: Trump fundraising haul driven by small-dollar donations

A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee (RNC) told Hill.TV on Thursday that President Trump’s reelection campaign and the RNC’s third-quarter fundraising haul was driven by small dollar-donors.

The Trump campaign and RNC said earlier this month that they raised $125 million from July through September, and began October with more than $156 million in the bank.

“This is really being driven by small-dollar donations,” Liz Harrington told Hill.TV, arguing that the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into Trump has prompted donors to contribute.

She singled out Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) support for an impeachment probe last month, saying it tied her to more progressive lawmakers like Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

“After the Democrats and [Speaker] Nancy Pelosi decided to side with the Rashida Tlaib and AOC and the Ilhan Omar’s of the world and go for impeachment, we raised more than what Joe Biden has cash-on-hand right now, which is $9 million dollars,” Harrington said.

Biden’s campaign said last Friday that it was “worried” about its finances. After the third-quarter fundraising numbers were released, the former vice president’s campaign had just under $9 million cash on hand.

Biden also raked in far less cash on hand than his top competitors in the Democratic primary race.

Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) had $33.7 million, $25.7 million and $10.5 million, respectively. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, meanwhile, brought in $23.4 million.

“I hate to say it, but our opponents are way ahead of us when it comes to money in the bank,” Elana Firsht, the Biden campaign’s online fundraising director, said in a fundraising email to supporters. “If we don’t pick up the pace here, we might have to make budget cuts that could seriously hurt our momentum in this primary.”

⁠—Tess Bonn