Harris secures Democratic nomination for November election with record fundraising

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced that US Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough support to become the Democratic nominee for the presidential election in November.

Harris was the only candidate in the electronic ballot that ran for five days, with 4,000 delegates signing petitions supporting her candidacy.

Harris's campaign announced on Friday that it had raised $310 million in July, more than double the amount raised by Republican candidate Donald Trump, since Harris took over from President Joe Biden in the presidential race.

While funding plays a crucial role in US campaigns, the new Democratic nominee amassed $200 million in less than a week following Biden's withdrawal on July 21, with donors returning after concerns about the aging president's capabilities.

The Harris campaign stated in a release, "Raising $310 million in July is the largest amount for the 2024 election."

It added that the fundraising was driven by "the best month for small-dollar donors in US presidential election history," representing "more than double" what Trump's campaign raised in the same period.

Trump's campaign team announced on Thursday that it raised $138.7 million in July, a significant sum raised in a month that saw Trump survive an assassination attempt and receive substantial support during the Republican National Convention.

The substantial funds collected for US presidential campaigns are heavily invested in advertisements promoting candidates' achievements and promises, widely disseminated online and on television in the months leading up to the election.

According to the nonprofit organization "Open Secret," the 2024 election could become the most expensive in US history, potentially surpassing the record $5.7 billion (about €5.2 billion) spent during the 2020 election.

Following concerns about his age and declining physical and mental faculties, President Joe Biden, 81, decided to withdraw from the race and endorse his vice president, Harris, to take his place. Harris is expected to secure the nomination from her party in early August officially.

Since Biden's withdrawal, the Democratic camp has gained new momentum, but observers caution against overconfidence, noting that despite a narrowing gap, Trump remains ahead in opinion polls.