Before he jumped into the race, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) would answer questions about a potential presidential bid by saying he and advisors were looking at whether or not a grassroots campaign would be able to compete with big money groups.
Today, it is being shown why Sanders and his team decided they would be able to compete. The Sanders campaign announced that they raised $1.5 million in their first twenty-four hours. The campaign also says that the money came from roughly 35,000 donors and that the average donation was $45.34. On the Democratic side, the average donation is often touted, especially if it is low, as a show of grassroots support. Some groups also spin as saying that average Americans are behind the campaign and not the big money groups that in many cases they are vowing to fight.
“This is a remarkable start for Bernie’s campaign,” Sanders adviser Tad Devine said. “People across America are yearning for authentic leadership that tells them the truth about what is holding back our nation.”
When Sanders announced, many expected that he would be able to tap into the progressive fundraising circles. Progressives have raised large amounts of money for various candidates, including President Obama and Elizabeth Warren. Progressive groups helped Warren raise millions of dollars in what was one of the most expensive races in 2012. Sanders has painted himself as the progressive challenger to Hillary Clinton.
The Clinton campaign has not released twenty-four fundraising statistics. Senator Rubio (R-FL) raised $1.25 million and Senators Paul (R-KY) and Cruz (R-TX) each raised about $1 million.