John Fetterman’s cash machine is still rolling — and gaining speed.
The lieutenant governor raised $8.3 million for his U.S. Senate campaign between his Democratic primary win and the end of June, according to campaign figures shared first with The Inquirer.
That was part of a record-setting $11 million haul over April, May, and June, a period almost evenly split between the final stretch of the primary and the start of the general election campaign against Republican nominee Mehmet Oz. Fetterman, however, has already spent most of that money. He had $5.5 million in his campaign fund as of June 30, about $1.3 million more than when April began. And it’s Fetterman’s best quarter, which until now was $4 million.
The $11 million raised (which includes about $1 million that had been disclosed in an earlier report) is the most any U.S. Senate candidate in Pennsylvania has ever raised in a three-month period, according to Fetterman’s campaign, and comes as he and Oz begin what is sure to be one of country’s most important and expensive contests.
It also offers the first look at Fetterman’s ability to raise money, and increase his pace, since winning the nomination on May 17. It suggests that aspect of his campaign has continued unabated, despite a stroke that has kept him off the campaign trail since just before the primary.
Since he won the nomination, more than 139,000 donors have given to Fetterman for the first time, his campaign said, accounting for about two-thirds of his donors in the last quarter. And while it’s likely bigger donors will start giving to Fetterman, given the national stakes of the Senate race, his average donation was $31 during the last three months, his campaign said, signaling enduring support from grassroots donors who chip in smaller amounts.
Oz, who has not yet disclosed his most recent fund-raising figures, paid for nearly all of his primary campaign out of his own vast fortune, pouring in $12 million. Formal reports from the candidates are due Friday.
While Fetterman dominated fund-raising against his Democratic rivals, he’s unlikely to enjoy such a significant advantage against Oz. Both parties’ national arms and an array of interest groups are also lining up television time to add to what is likely to be a spending deluge on Pennsylvania’s airwaves, with control of the U.S. Senate potentially at stake in the race.
“The outpouring of support for our campaign since we became Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senate nominee has just been extraordinary,” Fetterman said in a statement thanking his supporters. The 109,000 Pennsylvanians who have given to his campaign, he added, could fill the stadiums for both the Steelers and Pirates at the same time.
Fetterman’s $11 million over three months is nearly two-thirds of the $17.8 million raised by state’s Democratic incumbent, Sen. Bob Casey, during Casey’s entire 2017-2018 reelection campaign.
At the same time, Fetterman continues burning through campaign money. His $5.5 million on hand is less than either Casey or Republican Sen. Pat Toomey had at this point in their 2018 and 2016 campaigns, respectively, though neither of them had to spend much during their primaries because they were incumbents. Fetterman faced several established primary opponents. (He and Oz are running to replace Toomey, who isn’t seeking reelection).
Fetterman has far more campaign money on hand than the last two major challengers in those Senate races, Democrat Katie McGinty and Republican Lou Barletta, had at this point in their campaigns.
Fetterman’s campaign emphasized that the vast majority of his financial support continues to come from small donors, so they could continue giving throughout the campaign because they haven’t hit the legal maximum. That could allow him to keep replenishing his campaign fund as the costly campaign unfolds.
