By AAMER MADHANI, BILL BARROW, and MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has raised $200 million since she emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee last week, an eyepopping haul in her race against the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
The campaign, which announced its latest fundraising total on Sunday, said the bulk of the donations — 66% — comes from first-time contributors in the 2024 election cycle and were made after President Joe Biden announced his exit from the race and endorsed Harris.
Over 170,000 volunteers have also signed up to help the Harris campaign with phone banking, canvassing and other get-out-the-vote efforts. Election Day is 100 days away.
“The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris is real — and so are the fundamentals of this race: this election will be very close and decided by a small number of voters in just a few states,” Michael Tyler, the campaign’s communications director, wrote in a memo.
Her campaign said it held some 2,300 organizing events in battleground states this weekend as several high-profile Democrats under consideration to serve as Harris’ running mate stumped for her.
Harris campaigned in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday, drawing hundreds to a fundraiser that had been organized when Biden was still at the top of the Democratic ticket. The fundraiser had originally been expected to raise $400,000 but ended bringing in about $1.4 million, according to the campaign.
Mandy Robbins, 45, of Decatur, Georgia, drove to one of those organizing events Sunday in the northern suburbs of Atlanta to hear Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a potential Harris running mate.
She thought Biden did a “great job” in the White House, but acknowledged she “would not have been nearly this excited” if he remained in the race.
“I finally feel hopeful now,” Robbins said. She added, “We can win this with Harris.”
Beshear spoke from experience…
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