WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is again joining forces with former President Bill Clinton to rake in campaign cash, with a joint fundraiser with the two men Tuesday set to raise $8 million — part of a roughly $40 million total that Biden's reelection campaign has pulled in the last five days.
The vast majority of the $40 million sum, confirmed by a Biden campaign official, comes from Saturday's glitzy fundraiser with Biden and former President Barack Obama in Los Angeles that raised more than $30 million. Meanwhile, first lady Jill Biden has been on her own personal fundraising swing that has brought in $1.5 million.
Biden and Clinton, who appeared together with Obama at a March fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall in New York, are headlining Tuesday's event, which is being held at the home of former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Clinton adviser. Jill Biden and former first lady Hillary Clinton will also be at the fundraiser in McLean, Va., a tony suburb of Washington, D.C.
“Three events and more than $40 million raised is further proof of the energy behind President Biden and Vice President Harris,” campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said. “Our supporters understand the stakes. The cash we raised since Friday means more ads, more organizers, and more direct contacts with the voters who will decide this close election in November — meanwhile Trump continues to scramble after having zero resources or presence in battleground states for months.”
Last weekend's Los Angeles event — which also featured actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts in addition to Biden and Obama — was the largest single fundraiser in Democratic Party history.
Biden has ramped up his fundraising sprint as his presumptive Republican challenger, Donald Trump, shows signs that he is gaining ground in the money game. For instance, Trump raised $50.5 million at an April gathering of major donors at the Florida home of billionaire investor John Paulson.
The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee say they've raised $141 million in May, padded by tens of millions of dollars in contributions that flowed in after Trump’s guilty verdict in his criminal hush money trial. The Biden campaign has yet to release its May fundraising figures.
