Presidential Fund-Raising Strategies Shift as Election Heats Up

Strategic Insights -

As the presidential election heats up, Senator John Kerry is gearing up for a 20-city fund-raising tour, while President Bush is changing his focus from high-dollar events to more targeted mail and phone solicitations. With tens of millions of dollars in the bank, Mr. Bush is shifting his strategy, raising more last month through mail and phone solicitations than through events. Meanwhile, Mr. Kerry's campaign is leveraging the internet to raise $20 million online this year, with over three-quarters of it arriving after his Super Tuesday victories.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator John Kerry has averaged almost $1 million a day in internet donations since the Super Tuesday primaries, with a total of $55 million raised since January 2003.
  • President Bush has raised $158 million for the election, with $14 million raised last month, including $8 million through mail, internet, and phone solicitations, and $6 million through events.
  • Mr. Kerry's campaign is using the internet as a source of instant cash, raising $20 million online this year, with more than three-quarters arriving after the Super Tuesday victories on March 2.
  • The Democratic National Committee is also taking advantage of its ability to raise $25,000 contributions while Mr. Kerry's campaign can accept just $2,000 a donor.
  • Mr. Bush's campaign has spent close to $20 million on television advertisements to promote the president and attack Mr. Kerry through March, and has spent over $49 million through last month, not including all the $20 million spent on television advertising.
  • The campaign's mail program can be considered aggressive, with recent examples including a letter asking for money sent to Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, along with a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Bush.

Statistics:

  • Senator John Kerry has raised $55 million since January 2003.
  • President Bush has raised $158 million for the election.
  • Mr. Kerry's campaign has raised $20 million online this year.
  • Over three-quarters of the online donations to Mr. Kerry's campaign arrived after the Super Tuesday victories on March 2.
  • The Democratic National Committee is able to raise $25,000 contributions.
  • Mr. Kerry's campaign can accept just $2,000 a donor.
  • Mr. Bush's campaign has spent close to $20 million on television advertisements to promote the president and attack Mr. Kerry through March.
  • The campaign's mail program has cost more than $13 million to run, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.

Sources:

  • "Kerry Raises Millions, Jolts Election" by New York Times, March 24, 2004
  • "Bush Campaign Shifts to Mail and Phone Solicitations" by New York Times, March 24, 2004
  • Federal Election Commission reports
  • PoliticalMoneyLine reports