Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly raked in a whopping $50 million in donations within hours of launching her presidential campaign.
As Slay News was first to report, Democrat President Joe Biden announced Sunday afternoon that he has ended his re-election campaign.
In announcing the end of his campaign, Biden endorsed Harris as his replacement on the Democrats’ 2024 ticket.
However, Harris will still need to win the nomination during the “open” Democratic National Convention next month where she is likely to face challenges from other high-profile Democrats.
Nevertheless, Harris saw a huge influx in donations in the hours that followed her endorsement from Biden, accoridn got her campaign.
“Since the President endorsed Vice President Harris yesterday afternoon, everyday Americans have given $49.6 million in grassroots donations to her campaign,” the Harris campaign said in a statement.
The campaign said that the figure represents grassroots donations raised across “all entities, including ActBlue.”
Harris announced her presidential campaign Sunday afternoon just after Biden announced he would drop out of the 2024 race.
Biden eventually bowed out amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party.
The unprecedented announcement came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers had begun to publicly call for Biden to step aside.
The party’s leadership was reportedly engaged in efforts to convince 81-year-old Biden he could not win in November’s general election against President Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee.
Biden quickly offered his “full support and endorsement” for Harris to take over as the party’s presidential nominee.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden wrote in a public letter.
“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”
Biden said he will formally address the nation later this week about his decision.
In a social media post, Biden backed Harris to take over as the party’s standard-bearer.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Biden wrote.
“And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.
“Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
The president’s endorsement could dissuade any serious completion from other Democrats who may have mulled a bid for the presidential nomination.
It could clear a path for the vice president to succeed Biden as the party’s nominee.
Harris has already gained endorsements from more than half a dozen governors, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul; along with more than 178 Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate.
However, Barack Obama, the Democrats’ “king” maker, did not endorse Harris in a statement responding to Biden’s announcement.
The lack of endorsement from Obama has led to speculation that he has another candidate in mind, maybe even his own wife.
In a statement about two hours after Biden’s announcement, Harris said she is “honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election,” she added.
“And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.
“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”
The vice president praised her boss, thanking Biden “for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country.
“His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office.”
Harris and Biden reportedly spoke multiple times on Sunday, ahead of the president’s “shock” announcement.
Biden’s endorsement of Harris was quickly followed by two top party elders, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and former Sen. Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democrat presidential nominee.
“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.”
If Harris does secure the nomination, she would need a running mate, leaving many wondering if Hillary Clinton would throw her hat into the ring.
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, a Jeffrey Epstein’s “Pedophile Island” visitor and one of the Biden campaign’s biggest donors, also quickly endorsed Harris.
Obama, however, is instead backing a process where an “outstanding” nominee can emerge.
“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead,” the former president wrote in a letter.
“But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”
Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were among the scores of top Democrats praising Biden for dropping out of the race.
“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me,” the Obamas wrote.
“Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.”
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have not yet endorsed Harris.
As for the rapid fundraising haul, by comparison, the Trump campaign announced that they brought in nearly $53 million through their online digital fundraising platform in the first 24 hours after the former president was convicted in New York v. Trump in May.
Meanwhile, the Biden campaign recently reported $91 million cash-on-hand.
When allied Democratic Party committees are included, the number rises to $240 million.
Since both Biden’s and Harris’ names were on the president’s campaign, Harris has immediate access to the $91 million that was collected for their ticket’s reelection effort.
This would be in addition to the grassroots fundraising of $50 million since Sunday afternoon.
READ MORE – Obama Does Not Endorse Kamala Harris after Biden Drops Out
