Trump campaign raises nearly $80 million in July
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump raised nearly $80 million in the month of July-- an increase of about 30 percent from his $55 million in June--but he still lags Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, whose campaign saw an unprecedented growth in donations as well, totaling around $90 million.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Trump campaign also cited a substantial increase in small dollar donations.
"We are extremely proud of our 69 percent growth in small dollar donations which shows the broad based support of over one million donors across America," said Steven Mnuchin, Trump's financial chairman.
The July numbers come just under two weeks after Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination and are a testament to the success of Trump Victory--the joint fundraising venture launched in May. Trump and the RNC had signed an agreement to overhaul the billionaire's fundraising infrastructure after he effectively won the nomination in a largely self-funded effort. In May, Trump brought in about $3 million compared to Clinton's $94 million.
The campaign, in conjunction with the RNC, also said it hosted 20 fundraising events for the Republican presidential nominee. That trend will most likely continue through August, circulating reports suggested.
This weekend, according to the Boston Globe, Trump will visit Nantucket and Cape Cod for two high-dollar fundraisers. One of them will occur at the home of Bill Koch, the brother of Charles and David Koch who recently confirmed they wouldn't use their expansive political network to support Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Attendees are expected to raise between $2,700 and $100,000.
And, later this month, Anthony Scaramucci, a top Wall Street fundraiser for Trump, said in a Fortune article that he's helping plan a fundraising event at the Hamptons home of New York Jets football team owner Woody Johnson on August 13. The event "is likely to attract a lot of potential donors from the hedge fund industry and Wall Street in general," the Fortune article confirmed.
These events all followed a high-profile reception and dinner in July hosted by Jenny Craig guru Kirstie Alley, as well as energy investor Doug Kimmelman and Madeleine Pickens, the ex-wife of Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens, the Los Angeles Times reported. Donors at the Rancho Santa Fe event were asked to contribute up to $449,400 per person.
According to a campaign statement, the donations will support Trump's own run for the White House as well as help the Republican party fund initiatives to elect conservatives up and down the ballot in November.