Behind Bernie's rise: A $50 million spending surge -- and more where that came from

[JoeOtterbein]

Politico

The Vermont senator headed into 2020 in significantly better financial shape than his main rival in the polls, Joe Biden.

By MAGGIE SEVERNS

02/01/2020 12:37 AM EST

Bernie Sanders hasn’t just been gaining in the polls for the last month. He has also assembled a campaign juggernaut built to last well beyond Iowa — and stocked it with twice as much money as his top rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Sanders spent a whopping $50 million in the last three months of 2019 to help set up his surge, at least $15 million more than any of Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren or Pete Buttigieg, the other main contenders in Iowa. And even while blowing out his spending budget, Sanders’ legion of small-dollar online donors pumped in enough money for him to finish the year with $18.2 million in the bank, more than twice as much as Biden, who had $8.9 million.

The dramatic cash gap between Sanders and Biden could prove fateful for the two front-running candidates after Monday’s Iowa caucuses. While Sanders has put himself in a strong position in Iowa, he’s also better equipped to withstand trouble and still soldier on in the race. On the other hand, Iowa looks more important than ever for Biden in light of his campaign finances: The former vice president has little cushion to manage a dip in fundraising and needs new momentum to fund an expanding campaign, especially as Super Tuesday draws closer and the battlefield grows.

A candidate with significant money in the bank can withstand an early loss, said Taryn Rosenkranz, founder of the Democratic online fundraising firm New Blue Interactive. But Democratic donors “are going to rally behind the person who they think is going to win. That first caucus out of the gate is going to be the one who people are surging for,” Rosenkranz said.

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more at link

[msongs]

1. gee I remember when sanders was opposed to big money in campaigns...unless its his nt

[JoeOtterbein]

2. You do know that having "big" money, is not the same as raising "big" money to untimely beat Trump..

...are not the same?

[joelzz]

3. nobody likes Bernie

i heard some lady say the other day he has the most small donors than all the others combined who you gonna believe some lady or your lying eyes?

[ehrnst]

5. "some lady?"

Is that your source for data?

Does this 'some lady' know the difference between someone who donates $3... 850 times, and 850 different people.... donating $3 each?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-donors-get-creative-to-give-over-and-over-to-2020-candidates-11572001202