Beto O’Rourke’s campaign raises record $6.1M in first 24 hours

Former Texas lawmaker and declared 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s campaign said Monday it raised a record-breaking amount in the first 24 hours after his candidacy was announced.

O’Rourke received $6.1 million in online contributions, according to his campaign, which included funds from every state and territory in the U.S. The contributions did not include money from PACs, corporations or special interests.

“In just 24 hours, Americans across this country came together to prove that it is possible to run a true grassroots campaign for president -- a campaign by all of us for all of us that answers not to the PACs, corporations and special interests but to the people,” O’Rourke said in a statement.

The former Texas lawmaker, who lost his 2018 Senate race to Republican Ted Cruz, launched his campaign on Thursday – and outraised his rivals in the crowded – and growing – field of Democratic candidates.

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Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, for example, announced last month that his campaign raised $5.9 million in its first 24 hours – which was a record at the time.

California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris raised $1.5 million in the day after she launched her first campaign, while Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar raised $1 million in 48 hours.