President Biden is traveling to California on Tuesday for a series of campaign fundraisers in some of the wealthiest parts of the country, looking to add to the $42 million he raised in January for his re-election campaign.
Mr Biden’s ability to raise cash – his campaign reported he had $130 million in the bank over the weekend – has been a bright spot amid dismal poll numbers that show his popularity has sunk near the low point of his presidency.
Campaign advisers expect the numbers to rise again once the president’s team has a chance to compare his record with that of former President Donald J. Trump, who is widely expected to become the Republican nominee. The campaign’s fundraising success will determine how effectively the president can deliver that message to voters.
In a statement released over the weekend, a Biden campaign spokesman said more than 422,000 donors gave money in January and that nearly 97 percent of donations since Mr. Biden announced his candidacy were less than $200 apiece.
“We are particularly proud that January broke our base fundraising record for the third month in a row,” he said TJ Ducklo, the announcer. “With this campaign we are reaching directly the voters who will decide this election.
But the president’s three-day trip to California is not intended to appeal to small donors for support.
Instead, Mr. Biden will headline several “campaign receptions” in Santa Monica, San Francisco and Mountain View — venues that will attract the wealthiest members of the Democratic establishment in Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
These events for the campaign’s wealthy supporters in California had been put on hold during the long strikes by writers’ and actors’ unions in Hollywood. But now Mr. Biden is returning to pick their pockets.
Mr. Biden’s fundraising comes after former President Donald J. Trump scored multiple primary victories, making it clearer to voters that he is on track to become the Republican presidential nominee.
“The deep fear of Trump returning to power has been reinforced by his ever-increasing descent into authoritarianism, racism and general insanity,” said Matt Bennett, executive vice president of public affairs at Third Way, a centrist Democratic advocacy group.
But while Democrats say it is important for the president to raise enough money to fight Mr. Trump, fundraising is also important if Mr. Biden wants to allay concerns about him within his own party.
Mr. Bennett said the pace of fundraising was critical given widespread voter concerns about Mr. Biden’s age.
“I don’t think concern about the polls or the president’s age is just the usual bed-wetting of Democrats,” Bennett said. “There’s no question that Biden needs to run like he’s behind, because he is.”
“He needs to address the age issues head-on because they are real,” he added. “However, the strong fundraising is one of many signals that the situation, while serious, is not dire. The economy is booming and voters are starting to feel it.”
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2024-02-20 21:23:26
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