Bernie Sanders Releases Second Quarter Fundraising Totals

Small Donors Make Big Difference for Sanders
‘We Have the People,’ Bernie Says
 
FORT DODGE, Iowa – A day after Bernie Sanders spoke to 10,000 supporters in Madison, Wisconsin, his Democratic Party presidential campaign on Thursday released fundraising figures that showed a huge number of small donors are playing a dramatic role backing his White House bid.

Altogether, Sanders’ campaign brought in some $15 million since April 30, when he launched his bid for the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

Ninety-nine percent of the almost 400,000 contributions by some 250,000 individuals were for $250 or less.

The average donation was $33.51.

Counting all sources of campaign revenue – including the sale of T-shirts, bumper stickers and other merchandise – nearly 87 percent of the total amount raised during the quarter came from the donors who contributed $250 or less.

The individuals who supported Sanders did so almost entirely with online donations through the presidential campaign website, BernieSanders.com.

The preliminary figures are for a financial report which will be filed later this month with the Federal Election Commission.

At his Wednesday night appearance in Wisconsin – the largest for any presidential candidate so far in this campaign – Sanders told the packed arena that he knows other candidates will raise more money than he does.

"I am more than aware that my opponents will be able to outspend us. But we are going to win this election," Sanders told the cheering crowd at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. "They may have the money but we have the people. And when the people stand together, we can win."

Sanders is here in Fort Dodge, the first stop in a three-day swing through Iowa that also will take him to Council Bluffs and Sioux City in the western part of the Hawkeye State.