Washington, D.C., Sep 22 (V7N)-  As the U.S. presidential election draws nearer, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has surged ahead of rival Donald Trump in both fundraising and public opinion polls. In August, Harris raised nearly four times more than Trump, according to a report from The Guardian.

Harris brought in $36.1 million in funding during August, while Trump and the Republican Party managed to raise only $13 million. Moreover, Harris' campaign attracted a significant portion of new donors, with three-quarters of her 1.3 million supporters in August being first-time contributors who did not donate during the 2020 election cycle. Notably, 60% of her donors were women, and 20% were Republicans or independents.

By the first week of September, Harris had accumulated a total of $40.4 million in her campaign fund, surpassing Trump’s $29.5 million. Both candidates are expected to further bolster their campaign coffers through institutional and donor group contributions as the election approaches, with voting slated for November 5.

Reports from the Federal Election Commission reveal that Harris raised a total of $190 million during the August campaign, of which she spent $174 million. The majority of her spending, over $135 million, went towards campaign advertising. In contrast, Trump raised $43 million in August and spent $61 million at the beginning of September, with $47 million allocated for advertising.

Despite these fundraising figures, the real battle will take place in the battleground states. Harris' campaign has also donated $75,000 to the Detroit Unity Fund, a group focused on encouraging Black voters in Michigan to turn out to vote, signalling the importance of Michigan as a key state in the election.

By the end of August, Harris' campaign had $235 million in reserves, compared to $135 million in Trump's campaign fund. However, experts caution that while Harris may lead in fundraising, the election’s outcome will ultimately be decided by the votes cast in pivotal swing states. Trump’s 2016 victory, despite being outspent by Hillary Clinton, highlights the importance of voter turnout and electoral strategy in those key states. Both candidates remain neck and neck in terms of popularity in these battleground regions.

The election is expected to be a bitterly contested race as both Harris and Trump focus their resources and campaigns on the swing states that could decide the next U.S. president.

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