This archive report was first published on 4 October 2019.
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has been facing a challenging time in the Democratic presidential primary. His campaign raised $15.2 million in the third quarter, a drop-off of $7 million from the previous quarter.
Published on October 4, 2019, this article highlights the struggles of Biden's campaign in the third quarter. Despite his initial lead in the polls, Biden has seen his advantage slip, falling behind Senator Elizabeth Warren in several recent polls.
Other Democratic candidates have performed better in fundraising. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont raised $25.3 million, while Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., reported $19.1 million raised during the last three months. Senator Kamala Harris of California raised $11.6 million.
Biden's team has been downplaying the significance of the quarterly total, pointing out the lack of traction that Sanders and Buttigieg have had among the broader electorate. The Biden campaign has also been relying on high-dollar donors, which has raised concerns among some of his advisers and allies.
Despite these challenges, the Biden campaign has found ways to capitalize on the impeachment inquiry against President Trump. The day after details of the president's conversation with the Ukrainian leader came to light, the campaign tripled its daily online fund-raising average.
At a fund-raiser in Los Angeles, Biden told attendees that his campaign was close to landing nearly 670,000 donations from about 350,000 people, with an average donation of $46.
