Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders topped the third-quarter money race among Democratic presidential hopefuls in New Hampshire, edging out Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren as they vie for voters in their neighboring Granite State, data shows.
Sanders, who led the Democratic field by raising $25.3 million between July and September, received roughly $89,000 in contributions from New Hampshire donors in that same time period, according to a Herald analysis of Federal Election Commission filings.
South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg — who led in overall and New Hampshire fundraising back in the second quarter — earned about $62,000 in the Granite State this past quarter and $19.1 million overall.
Warren ended the third quarter just behind Sanders with an overall haul of $24.6 million, and finished with roughly $49,000 in the Granite State, the data shows.
New Hampshire remains key for both Sanders and Warren — a state in which they each enjoy an advantage as New England neighbors.
“Since they’re competing against each other, the fact that he’s still raising robustly should at least be concerning for her,” said Democratic strategist Scott Ferson, adding, “I don’t think it’s bad for Warren, though. She hasn’t emphasized the fundraising and she’s done incredibly well.”
University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala said Sanders’ top fundraising status in New Hampshire “speaks to the strongest heart of Sanders’ campaign — that core of small donors that just keeps giving and giving and giving, even though they haven’t had a lot to cheer about this year.”
Sanders and Warren remain locked in a tight race in the Granite State alongside former Vice President Joe Biden, the latest Franklin Pierce University-Boston Herald poll of likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters shows. The poll — conducted Oct. 9-13, after Sanders’ heart attack — showed Warren with 25% support, Biden with 24% and Sanders with 22%, a statistical tie.
Biden received roughly $43,000 in contributions in New Hampshire this past quarter, and $15.2 million overall. The FEC said the data does not account for un-itemized contributions of $200 or less.
Sanders’ strong fundraising helped buoy his campaign even as his stent surgery cast a shadow over it. Following his return to the trail with last Tuesday’s debate, Sanders staged a rally with U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Saturday in Queens that his campaign said drew more than 25,000 attendees.
Sanders also has the most cash on hand with $33.7 million, followed by Warren’s $25.7 million and Buttigieg’s $23.4 million.
“I expect the three of them to dominate the airwaves in New Hampshire probably starting around Thanksgiving,” Scala said.
Biden, however, has just under $9 million at his disposal.
“He could be outspent seriously on the airwaves in New Hampshire, and that’s a real problem,” Scala said.
