Kamala Harris‘s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party raised $361 million in August, providing a cash advantage over Republican rival Donald Trump with just two months remaining before Election Day, the campaign announced on Friday.
At the start of September, Harris had $404 million in cash on hand.
Trump’s campaign reported on Wednesday that it, along with the Republican Party, raised $130 million in August, ending the month with $295 million in cash on hand.
Both candidates are expected to spend over $1 billion on this campaign, breaking previous records as they run advertisements and build get-out-the-vote operations in closely contested states that will decide the election.
These fundraising totals, closely watched for signs of momentum ahead of the November 5 election, are reported to US election regulators.
The totals do not include the money raised by outside groups supporting each candidate.
A significant moment for both candidates will be the televised debate on Tuesday, the first since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris as his successor on July 21.
Harris’ candidacy has energised Democrats and donors, resulting in a surge in opinion polls.
“Three-quarters of the 1.3 million new donors to Harris in August did not contribute in the last presidential election in 2020,” her campaign said, adding, “more than six in 10 donors in August were women, and nearly one in five were registered Republicans or independents.”
Despite the fundraising success and increased support, polling averages indicate a tight race in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia.