Biden hauls in $90 million in March as campaign embarks on general election blitz

Washington CNN —

President Joe Biden raised more than $90 million for his reelection campaign and the Democratic Party in March, a whopping haul in a month that saw him pivot to a general election posture – including a forceful State of the Union address and a high-dollar fundraiser with some of his predecessors.

The campaign announced it has a war chest of $192 million cash on hand – describing it as “the highest total amassed by any Democratic candidate in history at this point in the cycle.” It also boasted its “strongest grassroots fundraising month since launch.”

Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee, meanwhile, ended March with a combined $65.6 million fundraising haul and $93.1 million cash on hand – a significant gap from the Biden war chest, though Trump will see a boost from the billionaire-heavy fundraiser he hosts in Palm Beach on Saturday. CNN reported on Friday that Trump and the Republican Party have raised $43 million so far for that fundraiser.

Biden’s influx last month was nearly double what his campaign had raised in March 2020 as he undertook his first campaign against Trump.

Deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty credited the success of the Biden’s fundraising to small-dollar donors, arguing the campaign has built out a “robust grassroots fundraising machine and a really significant pro-Biden list.”

“Our campaign has always focused on lifetime value,” Flaherty said. “We are focused on building relationships with our grassroots donors so that over time they give more gifts on average, than folks who just sort of come in and off the list.”

He added, “What you’ve got here is a campaign that is already in a a strong position on our side, that has a lot more room to move