Trump spoke for about 45 minutes, touching on the economy and the southern border with Mexico, fundraiser George Glass, Trump’s former ambassador to Portugal, said. “He also talked a lot about the unification of the party.”
The Republican candidate’s camp stressed the haul was double what Biden raised last month in an over $US25 million star-studded fundraiser with former Democrat presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
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The numbers will not be confirmed until filings are submitted to the Federal Election Commission. Campaigns sometimes exaggerate fundraising hauls to drive momentum.
Trump’s campaign said last month that it would be unable to match Biden’s fundraising totals this year. His campaign, together with a joint fundraising committee, pulled in $US20.3 million in February, compared with the more than $US53 million raised by Biden’s re-election effort that month.
For Trump, “it will be important to figure out ways to continue this fundraising momentum with a combination of large/small dollar events,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.
Money isn’t everything
More money is not always an indication of success, however. Trump beat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016 after she raised $US769.9 million, far more than the $US433.4 million he raised.
Trump, who clinched the Republican presidential nomination last month, can now raise money with the Republican National Committee (RNC), which his daughter-in-law co-chairs, ahead of the November 5 election.
The Trump 47 Committee, a new fundraising tie-up with the RNC, directs funds to Trump’s Save America leadership group before anything goes to the RNC, the invitation shows.
The Trump 47 Committee is asking top donors to contribute up to $US814,600 per person. The first $US6600 of any person’s contribution would go to Trump’s presidential campaign, according to the invitation.
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A maximum of $US5000 per person would then be allocated to Save America. After Save America gets its share, the RNC would get a cut of up to $US413,000. In the cases of the biggest contributions, a raft of Republican state parties would get funds too.
Reuters
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