Kamala Harris Sets Record with $81 Million in Donations Following Biden’s Exit from Presidential Race

US Vice President Kamala Harris has broken fundraising records by raising over $81 million in just 24 hours after President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race. This unprecedented amount marks the largest single-day fundraising total in U.S. presidential campaign history.

Biden announced his decision to step down on Sunday, citing the best interests of the party and the country. He endorsed Harris, urging Americans to support her candidacy. This move has energized the Democratic base, resulting in a surge of donations from both small and large donors.

Harris’ campaign confirmed the impressive fundraising total, highlighting contributions from hundreds of thousands of first-time donors. Key Democratic figures, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, quickly endorsed Harris following Biden’s announcement.

The overwhelming financial support has reinvigorated the Democratic Party, which had been grappling with uncertainty and low morale after Biden’s lackluster debate performance against Republican candidate Donald Trump. Major donors like LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Open Society Foundations chairman Alex Soros have publicly backed Harris, urging unity to defeat Trump.

In addition to individual donations, Democratic super PAC Future Forward secured $150 million in donor commitments within 24 hours of Biden’s announcement, significantly bolstering Harris’ campaign war chest. Grassroots organizations like Swing Left also reported substantial fundraising success, raising over $160,000 from 1,500 unique donors in less than a day.

While Harris is now the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, some voices within the party have called for an open selection process to ensure the best candidate is chosen. Despite this, the overwhelming support and record-breaking fundraising indicate strong momentum for Harris’ campaign.

Harris’ ability to quickly mobilize financial and political support highlights her growing influence and the readiness of the Democratic Party to rally behind her in the upcoming election.