Biden, DNC raised nearly $81 million in May

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) raised nearly $81 million dollars in May, marking their single best month of fundraising for the 2020 cycle. 

Biden’s campaign and the DNC, which have combined their fundraising efforts, raked in $80.8 million last month. The staggering financial haul suggests that political fundraising may be rebounding after a drop off in April, when the economic toll from the coronavirus pandemic worsened. That month, Biden and the DNC raised about $60.5 million. 

The latest fundraising figures surpass Biden and the DNC’s previous monthly high of $79 million set in March.

But the May fundraising numbers also illustrate the impact of the Biden Victory Fund, the joint fundraising committee set up between the Biden campaign and the DNC. That partnership was announced in late April. 

The Biden campaign said that half of those who contributed in May were new donors. The average online donation to the campaign last month was $30. 

The latest fundraising haul comes as polls show Biden with a widening lead over President Trump, both nationally and in key battleground states. One CNN national poll released last week showed the former vice president leading by 14 points.

The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) haven’t yet announced their fundraising numbers for May, though they have to file their financial reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by June 20. 

In April, Trump and the RNC raised $61.7 million, narrowly beating out Biden and the DNC for the month. But they also ended April with a massive cash-on-hand advantage, reporting more than $255 million in the bank.