In this graphic, we visualize the amount of money raised by Democrats and Republicans in past U.S. presidential elections, from 2000 to 2024 (as of July 24). Historical figures are not adjusted for inflation.
All data comes from the Federal Election Commission, which tracks campaign fundraising, spending, and other metrics.
Data and Key Takeaways
All of the data we used to create this graphic can be found in the following table.
| Year | Democrat | Republican |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 (As of July 24) | $596,806,663 | $420,575,591 |
| 2020 | $3,156,808,448 | $831,849,874 |
| 2016 | $839,499,145 | $673,832,111 |
| 2012 | $759,244,910 | $627,652,976 |
| 2008 | $1,160,034,815 | $652,203,400 |
| 2004 | $538,905,912 | $377,879,927 |
| 2000 | $189,664,103 | $393,298,958 |
From this data, we can see that the last time Republicans outraised Democrats in a presidential election was in 2000.
Given the amounts raised so far in 2024, this appears unlikely to change. For context, within 36 hours of Joe Biden announcing he would be stepping down, Vice President Kamala Harris raised more than $100 million.
Democrats Surpass $1B Milestone in 2008 & 2020
In 2008, the Democrats raised a massive $1.2 billion, with $778 million of that raised by Barack Obama. This record-breaking amount was beaten in the 2020 election, when the Democrats raised an even larger $3.2 billion.
In that election, both Biden and Bloomberg raised over $1 billion each, while Donald Trump raised over $800 million.
It’s interesting to note that Michael Bloomberg contributed $1.1 billion of his own money, while only raising $914,487 from donors. Both Biden and Trump did not make any self contributions.
Closer Look: Campaign Fundraising in 2020
The Federal Election Commission also provides visibility into where contributions come from at the state level.
During the 2020 presidential election, Biden’s top states were California ($145 million raised), DC ($120 million), and New York ($72 million). Trump’s top states were California ($59 million), Texas ($53 million), and Florida ($49 million).
Source: Visual Capitalist
