ActBlue, the Democrats’ fundraising machine, is back at it again, playing the money game. After Kamala Harris announced her run for President, they managed to rake in almost $50 million in hours. It’s astonishing how quickly people can be convinced to part with their cash.
According to ActBlue, by 9 p.m. ET, grassroots supporters had poured in $46.7 million following Harris’ campaign launch. They were too eager to tell us this was the biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle. These small-dollar donors are all fired up and ready to take on this election. Sure, because more money always means more passion, right?
Harris threw her hat in the ring after President Joe Biden announced he was bowing out of the reelection race. Biden caved to weeks of intense pressure from the media and members of his party to step aside. And who does he endorse? Kamala Harris, of course.
But wait a minute, not everyone in the Democratic elite is jumping on the Harris bandwagon. Notably absent from the list of her supporters are former President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It’s almost like they know something we don’t.
Biden, trying to sound all statesmanlike, released a statement endorsing Harris. He claimed his decision to pick Harris as his VP back in 2020 was his best move and urged Democrats to unite behind her to beat Trump. It sounds like he’s trying to convince himself as much as anyone else.
Kamala Harris, of course, accepted Biden’s endorsement with all the expected enthusiasm. She promised to do everything she could to unite the Democratic Party and the nation to defeat Donald Trump. She even mentioned fighting against Trump’s so-called Project 2025 agenda, which, newsflash, Trump has nothing to do with. But why let facts get in the way of a good scare tactic?
She wrapped up her rallying cry by reminding everyone there are 107 days until Election Day and that they will fight and win together. It’s a lot of pep for a campaign that just started. But if history tells us anything, early enthusiasm doesn’t always guarantee victory.
So here we are, with the Democrats gearing up for another bruising primary season. Thanks to ActBlue and its small-dollar donors, Harris has a mountain of cash. Yet, money isn’t everything. It’ll be interesting to see if the rest of the party comes around to Harris or if the reluctance of key figures like Obama and Schumer signals deeper divisions.
Let’s see how long this enthusiasm lasts and if Harris can unite her party, let alone the country. The Democrats may have the money, but it remains to be seen if they have the votes.
