Kamala Harris’ election campaign reported spending nearly three times as much as Donald Trump’s in August, highlighting the Democrat’s financial edge as the November 5 presidential election approaches. According to financial disclosures submitted to the Federal Election Commission, Harris spent $174 million last month, while Trump’s campaign reported expenditures of $61 million.
Both campaigns are entering a crucial phase of an intensely competitive presidential race. Harris, the U.S. Vice President who officially launched her campaign in July after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed her, aims to leverage her financial advantage to dominate the airwaves with advertising. However, the effectiveness of this spending remains uncertain; polling indicates the candidates are closely matched, particularly in battleground states that could decide the election. In 2016, Trump managed to defeat Hillary Clinton despite having a lower fundraising total.
In August, both campaigns noted that much of their spending went toward advertisements, with smaller portions allocated for rallies, travel, and staff salaries. Harris’ campaign also made a $75,000 donation to the Detroit Unity Fund, a non-profit aimed at boosting Black voter turnout in Michigan—a key battleground state this election cycle.
Harris’ entry into the race, following Biden’s underwhelming debate performance against Trump, resulted in a significant influx of donations. By the end of August, her campaign had raised a total of $235 million, slightly more than what it had at the start of the month.
Conversely, Trump’s campaign drew down its funds, ending August with $135 million—approximately $17 million less than it had at the beginning of the month. Both candidates previously disclosed fundraising totals for the month that included their party accounts; for their official campaign filings, Harris reported raising $190 million, while Trump announced $45 million in contributions.
