We hit a new record yesterday, and we’re pretty excited. That’s right: $50 million raised for Democrats since 2004. And we’re just getting started.
Here’s the release we just sent out, and a picture to mark the occasion.
DEMOCRATIC FUNDRAISING ON ACTBLUE TOPS $50 MILLION
CAMBRIDGE, MA, JUNE 10, 2008– Democratic fundraising topped $50
million on ActBlue yesterday evening, signaling a surge in fundraising
well beyond the presidential contest. The $50 million total represents
contributions from more than 395,000 donors to more than 3000
candidates and committees, with a median contribution of $50.Propelled by high numbers from, among others, Rick Noriega’s Texas
Senate campaign and Leslie Byrne’s bid for a Virginia Congressional
seat, ActBlue’s totals also reflect records from some unlikely
directions. In California’s Third Senate District, all four Democratic
primary challengers used ActBlue, raising more than $500,000 ahead of
last week’s primary. The victor in that contest, Mark Leno, raised more
than $227,000 from 600 donors, an ActBlue record for a state race.“Small dollar donations are the key to Democratic strength, because as
we’ve seen with the Obama campaign, sustainability comes from being
able to return to your base and ask for help when you need it,” says
ActBlue’s executive director, Jonathan Zucker. “We’re building that
capacity for Democrats at every level. You don’t have to be a national
campaign to harness the power of small donors.”ActBlue’s nearest Republican counterpart, Slatecard.com, has raised
$350,000 since 2007. (For comparison, ActBlue raised more than $890,000
in its first six months of operation.)The nation’s largest source of funds for Democrats, ActBlue produces a
set of tools that allow individuals and groups to raise money for the
candidates and causes of their choice, tools that now power the
fundraising operations of hundreds of campaigns, from the state house
to the White House. Top fundraisers on ActBlue include groups from
every part of the Democratic spectrum, from establishment Democrats and
elected officials to insurgent Democratic candidates to networks of
prominent bloggers.
Another great day.
Thanks from all of us. Keep up the good work!
