August 03, 2016, 11:07 am
Trump raises $80M in July
By Ben Kamisar
Donald Trump's campaign announced Wednesday that it raised $80 million in July for his presidential bid and the Republican Party, a major uptick that still puts him behind Hillary Clinton's fundraising clip.
Until Trump files his monthly report with the Federal Election Commission, it's unclear how much of that money will go directly to his campaign and how much will be divvied up between the Republican National Committee and state parties as part of joint fundraising agreements.
But the figures show Trump filled his campaign coffers by boosting his cash on hand by almost $17 million, to $37 million. That's on top of $37 million in the bank for his two joint fundraising committees.
“We are extremely proud of our 69% growth in small dollar donations which shows the broad based support of over one million donors across America," Trump finance committee chairman Steve Mnuchin said in a statement.
“Our volunteers and contributors are clearly committed to electing Donald J. Trump as President in November.”
The release also suggests Trump spent about $6 million of his own money in July, including $2 million in matched donations.
The bigger totals may help quell concerns expressed by some Republicans that Trump wouldn't be able to sufficiently finance his campaign, especially after reporting only $1.3 million on hand in May. But as Trump has shifted to the general election, he's built up his cash reserves.
It's welcome news amid a difficult week for the candidate, as he continues to face criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike over his treatment of the family of a fallen Muslim soldier.
Clinton announced $90 million in total donations for July, with $63 million of that total going directly to the Democrat's campaign. That pushed her cash on hand to more than $58 million, the campaign said, a significant lead over Trump.
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/290241-trump-raises-80m-in-july
