Joseph Simonson writes for the Washington Examiner that Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden is catching heat for his fundraising focus.
Joe Biden’s emphasis on old-school fundraising tactics such as in-person events with well-heeled donors is coming at the expense of smaller but more plentiful online donations, suggesting his approach to a crucial part of winning the presidency is wanting.
The former vice president’s 2020 campaign recently sent out a frantic plea to supporters pointing to the fundraising success of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic socialist crusader whose campaign has been fueled virtually entirely by small donors. Sanders, whose support in polls has plateaued in recent months, is credited with spurring an impressive digital fundraising operation that currently boasts roughly $30 million cash-on-hand, whereas Biden had just under $11 million.
Biden’s campaign schedules frequently list his fundraising events, held in locales such as the Hamptons on New York’s Long Island, Sun Valley, Idaho, and La Jolla, California, areas that boast some of the nation’s most expensive real estate.
In a sense, it’s not a surprising approach for a candidate, 76, first elected to the Senate in 1972 at age 29. During Biden’s 36 years in the chamber, mingling with high-dollar donors was a natural way to vacuum up campaign cash. …
… The lack of small donors is driving concerns in the Biden campaign, already hyper-focused on fundraising due to the assumption that the Democratic primary would run long, in addition to President Trump’s likely billion-dollar reelection war chest, according to those familiar with Biden’s thinking who spoke with the Washington Examiner.
