Bernie Sanders just had the best fundraising quarter of any 2020 candidate so far

As the 2020 Democrats begin unveiling their third quarter fundraising hauls, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has the number to beat.

Sanders' campaign announced Tuesday he raised a massive $25.3 million in the third quarter of 2019, up from about $18 million during the second quarter, Politico reports. The Vermont Democrat had also raised about $18 million during the first quarter of 2019, which was enough to have him leading the pack; this was before former Vice President Joe Biden entered the race.

This third quarter fundraising haul is more than any 2020 candidate has raised in any quarter so far this year, The Washington Post points out. In the second quarter, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg lead with about $24 million.

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Buttigieg saw a decline for the third quarter, though, announcing Tuesday he raised more than $19.1 million from July to September, per The New York Times. This was still an impressive total, though, which the Buttigieg campaign celebrated by saying it "positions us solidly as one of the top three fund-raisers in this race."

Sanders and Buttigieg are the only two 2020 candidates to announce their third quarter fundraising totals so far ahead of the Federal Election Commission filing deadline of Oct. 15.