President Donald Trump’s fundraising pace slowed slightly for the second straight month as the US reeled from the coronavirus outbreak.
The Republican National Committee and Mr Trump’s reelection campaign announced on Monday they had raised more than $61.7 million (£50.08 million) in April.
It brings Mr Trump’s total haul for the election cycle to more than $742 million (£602.28 million). The figure is $288 million (£233.77 million) more than the Obama re-election effort had at this same point, the campaign and the RNC said in a joint statement.
The campaign raised $63 million (£51.14 million) in March, down from the $86 million (£69.81 million) raised in February.
Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement that the April haul shows the president’s “consistent record of unprecedented action is met with overwhelming enthusiasm and support”.
Despite the drop, Mr Trump’s fundraising remains far ahead of likely Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
Mr Biden’s presidential campaign said on Monday that it and the Democratic National Committee jointly raised $60 million (£48.7 million) in April, a solid amount that may ease some Democratic worries that Mr Biden is stumbling in the money race.
Mr Biden’s campaign was almost broke before he vaulted to the top of the crowded Democratic presidential field on Super Tuesday in early March. He became the party’s presumptive nominee when his sole remaining rival Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign in early April.
The campaign said in a statement that its average April donation was $32.63 (£26.49), “showing continued grassroots strength even in this time of crisis”. It has recently announced a number of new hires, a sign of a newly secure financial position.
