Joe Biden dominates, but Pete Buttigieg makes inroads with Obama's elite bundlers

[babylonsister]

Joe Biden dominates, but Pete Buttigieg makes inroads with Obama's elite bundlers
By Fredreka Schouten, David Wright, Dan Merica and Aaron Kessler, CNN
Updated 8:30 AM ET, Sat July 20, 2019


Washington (CNN)Former Vice President Joe Biden drew dozens of Barack Obama's fundraisers to his presidential bid during the April-to-June fundraising quarter, but his rivals -- led by South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg -- also are capturing some of those elite bundlers, a CNN analysis of new 2020 campaign filings shows.

At least 40 top fundraisers to Obama's 2012 reelection effort donated to Buttigieg's campaign during the three-month period, helping to catapult the once little-known mayor to the top financial tier. Buttigieg raised nearly $25 million during the second quarter, outpacing Biden and all his other competitors for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In interviews this week, several Obama bundlers said the 37-year-old Buttigieg has energized a wide range of political donors.

Bryan Rafanelli, a Boston-based event planner who raised money for both Obama and Hillary Clinton, said he decided to "speed date" a few candidates before quickly settling on Buttigieg. He's already hosted four events for the mayor, and the first sold out so quickly that organizers had to add a 55-person lunch with only donors who gave the $2,800 maximum contribution for the primary, he said.

"There is no question that people in the Clinton and Obama worlds started to connect and say, 'Who is this guy?' And ask, 'Why is he so special?' " Rafanelli said about the early buzz around Buttigieg.

"Look, I have maxed out to Joe Biden, I love Joe," he added. "But this excitement of getting people invested in someone running for president, to me, it is priceless. Whether Pete goes all the way or not, I think that is part of it. We are hungry for a solution. So, people are willing to say, 'I am going to try this.'"

more...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/20/politics/obama-bundlers-like-joe-biden-pete-buttigieg/index.html

[mtnsnake]

1. I think Buttigieg will be one of the last 3 candidates standing.

[redstateblues]

2. If Pete's numbers with POC don't get out of low single digits

It won’t matter

[Indygram]

3. I really wish people would really think long and hard about what would happen

If Buttigieg were the nominee.

Many black voters will stay home while new evangelical voters will come out of the woodwork for Trump in order to vote against him to try to prevent a same sex couple from moving into the White House. While I'm all for progress in this area...I am NOT willing to risk 4 more years of Trump to do it. I really hope Democrats stop and consider the implications. Why the bloody hell risk energizing the religious zealot vote while simultaneously depressing the black core voters on someone who is the most inexperienced politically on a national stage? He's got a bright future...but is't NOT worth the risk!

[mtnsnake]

5. Those same evangelicals who wouldn't vote for Buttigieg for the reason you're stating

would never vote for ANY Democratic candidate, PERIOD.

[dalton99a]

7. Sad truth - it would be political suicide for Democrats.

[DesertRat]

8. There is a lot more to Buttigieg than being a married gay man

Buttigieg is a Christian combat veteran and a Rhodes scholar. Pence and all of the other supposed Christians and Evangelicals in this administration are corrupt and immoral hypocrites.

The hardcore rw evangelicals aren't going to vote for ANY Democrat on the ticket so I don't care what they think about our nominee.

[mtnsnake]

4. It's early. Pete's numbers with POC will eventually rise

when he actually gets to be heard by more people. Plus, once Biden drops out of the race, which I'm pretty sure will eventually happen, Pete's and everyone else's numbers will rise dramatically...if they haven't already.

[flamingdem]

6. Why do you think Biden will drop out

and when?

[mtnsnake]

9. Why? Because of his past history when he ran for the office of President twice before

When? I'm guessing as early as November of this year and as late as February of next year.