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.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Prime minister shocks France with resignation
Speed Read French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu submitted his government’s resignation after less than a month in office
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Political violence: The rise in leftist terrorism
Feature A new study finds that, for the first time in decades, attacks by far-left extremists have surpassed far-right violence in the U.S.
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies