October 1, 2015

Sanders Posts an Astounding Fundraising Haul, Nearly Matching Clinton

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tabor-roeder/21581179719/in/photolist-idwndN-wakZkE-rrWWcH-yT4bRv-vGQjz2-i8dwQm-i8cUKn-vuWrL5-uKPWCA-vVL7to-ibwfWb-idcuUM-x9aeWZ-wygZRi-wygYxX-wNrATY-uKPWnL-wy9BRm-5GQKMq-zayf6i-wsqemg-srs7h1-vVL6u7-vVL7rY-qhXuFu-ydwyHG-zbodPF-ySWunh-vTTDPR-ySYepf-ydFNii-ydwWyL-ydxi7u-yT3BJi-ydFzRK-z9wrCd-yT3R7a-ydFXsv-z8g2D1-zbp35n-ydF3cx-ySXm3h-ySX8nC-wygWjP-zbo9aa-ydwjSA-ySXddu-zbprKt-ySXy4S-yT3NpX">Phil Roeder</a>/Flickr

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Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign brought in $26 million in the third quarter of fundraising—just $2 million less than former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. For a candidate who’s eschewed super-PACs and high-dollar fundraising, it’s kind of an astounding figure. The New York Times‘s Nick Confessore puts it in perspective:

Mrs. Clinton has relied on the full force and reach of one of the most prominent Democratic politicians in the world, rousing small donors but also investing far more time and energy than Mr. Sanders in courting those who can give the maximum $2,700 for her primary campaign.

Mrs. Clinton attended at least 58 fund-raisers during the last three months, according to her campaign schedules, and sent her husband, former President Bill Clinton, or top aides to others.

Despite all of that, her overall haul was negligible. And Sanders’ reliance on small-dollar donors means he can hit them up again and again if he needs to. Consider that on Wednesday, Sanders’ presidential campaign also hit its one millionth individual donation—the most, by far, of any 2016 candidate. (By contrast, then-Sen. Barack Obama didn’t reach 1 million contributions until February 2008.)

The national polls still point to a comfortable Clinton lead—and an overwhelming advantage with nonwhite voters—but Sanders just guaranteed he’ll have plenty of money to get his message out in the first round of primaries and beyond.

WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

payment methods

WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

payment methods

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