Analysis

9 key campaign finance numbers to know going into Election Day


Staggering sums of money have been injected into the 2020 presidential race, according to an Issue One analysis of campaign finance reports. Here are some of the most critical numbers to know about how the funds at the disposal of the presidential candidates — and their allies.

$2.61 billion: The total amount of money that has flowed into the 2020 election so far through the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden or been spent by outside groups supporting Trump or Biden in the general election. Biden and his allies have controlled about 62% of this sum ($1.62 billion), while Trump and his allies have controlled about 38% ($983 million).

$1.59 billion: The total amount of money raised through October 31 since the election began by the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Biden’s campaign alone has raised about $958 million, while Trump’s campaign has raised about $634 million. In other words, Biden has raised more than $1.50 for every $1 Trump has.

$1.01 billion: The total amount of money spent in the general election through October 31 by outside group allies of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Pro-Biden outside groups have together spent about $666 million, while pro-Trump outside groups have spent about $349 million. In other words, pro-Biden groups have spent nearly $2 for every $1 spent by pro-Trump groups.

$82 million: The minimum amount of money that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s bundlers have raised for his campaign, according to a new voluntary disclosure that showed more than 800 individuals have raised at least $100,000 to support Biden’s candidacy. Some bundlers are each raising millions of dollars, so the actual total is likely far, far higher. President Donald Trump has not voluntarily released any information about the more than 3,000 people who are reportedly raising money for his reelection effort. 

$820,600: The total amount of money a single individual donor can currently give to Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee that benefits Trump’s presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee, and Republican parties in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

$830,600: The total amount of money a single individual donor can currently give to the Biden Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee that benefits Biden’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and Democratic parties in 46 states and the District of Columbia.

$1.07 billion: The total amount that outside groups such as super PACs and dark money groups have spent in the 2020 presidential race. Of this sum, around $52 million was spent in the Democratic presidential primary; the rest — $1.01 billion — was spent targeting the general election.

57%: Portion of the $1.07 billion spent by outside groups in the 2020 presidential race that has been on negative ads — a total of $604 million and counting.

$668 million: The total amount that the 10 top-spending outside groups — each of which has spent more than $16 million — have spent in the 2020 presidential race. Of this sum, 67% has been spent on negative ads. Notably, these 10 groups account for about 63% of all spending by non-candidate groups in the race.