Kamala Harris Leads in Fundraising as Election Day Nears

Kamala Harris's presidential campaign and the Democratic Party raised $361 million in August, giving her a financial edge over her Republican rival, Donald Trump. With two months to go before Election Day, both campaigns are focusing on advertisements and get-out-the-vote operations in pivotal states.

WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Kamala Harris's presidential campaign and the Democratic Party amassed $361 million in August, leaving her with a significant cash advantage over her Republican competitor Donald Trump as Election Day approaches, according to the campaign's announcement on Friday. Harris began September with $404 million in cash on hand.

Trump's team reported raising $130 million in August, concluding the month with $295 million in the bank. Combined, both campaigns are set to spend over $1 billion in this cycle, breaking previous records as per regulatory filings. These funds are primarily allocated for ads and voter mobilization in key battleground states.

The fundraising figures, monitored by U.S. election regulators, are critical indicators of campaign momentum with the election set for Nov. 5. The figures exclude contributions from external support groups. Both candidates face a significant test in their upcoming televised debate on Tuesday, the first since President Joe Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris on July 21. Harris has experienced a surge in donations and polling numbers since then.

In August, 1.3 million new donors contributed to Harris's campaign, with three-quarters being first-time contributors and over 60% women. Nearly one-fifth of these donors were Republicans or independents. Despite this, polls indicate a tight race in key states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia.

(With inputs from agencies.)