RFK Jr. raises $2.6 million in May
By David Wright and Fredreka Schouten, CNN
(CNN) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised $2.6 million for his presidential campaign in May, according to a new Federal Election Commission filing, a modest sum reflecting the vast disparity between the funding for his presidential bid versus his major party rivals.
The new filing also showed that Kennedy’s campaign burned through cash last month, spending $6.3 million total – more than twice as much as he raised – as it plowed funds into ballot access efforts, a key challenge for the independent presidential campaign.
The filing showed that the campaign paid about $2.7 million in May to a consulting firm, Accelevate 2020 LLC, that has provided ballot access consulting services for several federal candidates, including former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and author Marianne Williamson. And the Kennedy campaign disclosed tens of thousands of dollars of other spending directed toward securing ballot access. More than $380,000 went to internet advertising.
Kennedy’s campaign ended May with about $6.4 million in cash on hand – a significantly smaller war chest than those commanded by his major party rivals, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. At the end of April, the most recent data available, Biden’s campaign held $84.5 million in its campaign account, while Trump’s campaign reported $49.1 million in cash on hand.
Notably, Kennedy’s campaign did not receive any contributions in May from his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley lawyer who had already given the campaign $10 million. Still, Shanahan’s personal fortune represents a financial lifeline for the campaign, as she can make unlimited personal contributions to the independent presidential bid.
Monthly FEC filings are due Thursday, which will provide additional details on the fundraising and spending activity of presidential campaigns and some key allied committees.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
