Kamala Harris Raises $2 Million 24 Hours After First Debate

Democratic presidential hopeful US Senator for California Kamala Harris speaks during the
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
Hannah Knudsen

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) raised $2 million just 24 hours after her first debate performance, she told supporters in an email Saturday.

Harris reportedly told supporters that her campaign raised $2 million from 63,277 people after the debate. More than half, 58 percent, of those donors had not donated to her campaign prior to the debate, according to the New York Times.

The donor rush will help seal Harris’s spot for the next debate, with second-quarter fundraising ending Sunday.

The New York Times adds:

Ms. Harris and other presidential candidates are required to report their fund-raising figures to the Federal Election Commission by July 15, though many are expected to release their totals as soon as Monday morning. Mr. Biden and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., are expected to post large fundraising numbers for the second quarter of 2019.

The California senator had a number of breakout moments during the debate, gaining significant notoriety for grilling Joe Biden (D) for his past remarks and positions on racial issues and making “that little girl was me” her new rallying cry.

During the debate, she said:

But I also believe, and it’s personal — and I was actually very — it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United
States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country. And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing.

And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bussed to school every day. And that little girl was me.

She also addressed Biden directly, asking, “Do you agree today — do you agree today that you were wrong to oppose busing in America then? Do you agree?”

“I did not oppose busing in America. What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education. That’s what I opposed,” Biden responded.

Harris also gained applause after lecturing her fellow candidates for bickering, dropping the line, “Hey, guys, you know what? America does not want to witness a food fight; they want to know how we’re going to put food on their table”:

Harris has consistently found herself among the second tier of candidates. The current Real Clear Politics average shows her with seven percent support, behind Biden and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), but the numbers are likely to change moving into next week.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.