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The 2020 presidential election campaign was marked by dynamic financial contest, centered around two major figures – former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Among the numerous fundraising records set during the campaign period, one notable instance was Trump’s successful fundraising endeavor in April 2020 that outperformed Biden’s for the month. However, Biden went on to have overall fundraising superiority in the form of a cash advantage.
In the early stages of the election cycle, when both candidates were at full throttle, Trump’s campaign, along with the Republican National Committee, raised a staggering $61.7 million in April 2020. This figure eclipsed the $60.5 million that Biden and the Democratic National Committee jointly raised during the same period.
Notwithstanding the single-month fundraising triumph for Trump, Biden welded a cash advantage due to his palpable fundraising momentum during the rest of the campaign season.
Analyzing Biden’s cash advantage requires a more nuanced consideration of the art of campaign finance. This cash advantage not only represents the total funds raised but also depicts a campaign’s financial health concerning expenditures and saved up assets heading into the election’s crucial final months.
A candidate’s cash on hand is a critical indicator of their ability to invest in definitive resources needed to win an election. These involve investing in advertisements, mobilizing the workforce for campaigning, buying crucial data for voter targeting, and other crucial campaigning activities.
During the 2020 elections, Biden’s campaign was characterized by a phenomenal turnaround when the former Vice President raised $364.5 million in August alone, setting a new fundraising record. In contrast, Trump’s campaign had spent more than it raised in August and September, thereby dwindling its cash reserves.
Biden’s fundraising success throughout the campaign allowed his team to have a significant cash advantage, having more money in the bank going into the election’s decisive final weeks. This cash advantage enabled Biden’s campaign to make major strategic decisions, including expanding the election battleground by investing in states like Georgia and Texas, which eventually played a critical part in the election’s outcome.
Moreover, Biden’s campaign arguably used its financing more strategically than Trump. They outspent Trump on television and digital ads in many of the swing states, leading up to the election. Biden’s campaign also invested heavily in their ground game, building a more robust network of field offices in key states.
In conclusion, while Trump might have outpaced Biden in terms of fundraising in April 2020, a broader view of the campaign finance
