Biden heads to California to expand his $42 million transportation in January
President Biden heads to California on Tuesday for a series of campaign fundraisers in some of the wealthiest parts of the country as he tries to add to the $42 million he raised for his January re-election campaign.
Biden's ability to raise cash — his campaign said there was $130 million in the bank this weekend — was a bright spot amid dismal polling numbers that show his popularity has fallen to near the lowest point of his presidency.
Campaign advisers say the numbers will recover once the president's team has a chance to compare his record with that of former President Donald J. Trump, who is widely expected to be the Republican nominee. The campaign's success in raising money will determine how effectively the president can deliver that message to voters.
In a statement released this weekend, a Biden campaign spokesman said more than 422,000 donors gave money in January, and that nearly 97 percent of donations since Mr. Biden announced his candidacy were less than $200 each.
“We are extremely proud that January broke our fundraising record for the third month in a row,” the spokesperson said TJ Ducklo, the spokesperson. “These proceeds go directly to reaching the voters who will decide these elections.
But the president's three-day trip to California is not about seeking support from small-dollar donors.
Instead, Mr. Biden will headline several “campaign receptions” in Santa Monica, San Francisco and Mountain View — locations that will attract the wealthiest members of the Democratic establishment in Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
These events for the campaign's wealthy supporters in California had been suspended during the extended strikes of Hollywood's writers' and actors' unions. But now Mr. Biden is returning to reach into their pockets.
Mr. Biden's fundraising comes after former President Donald J. Trump scored multiple primary victories, making it clearer to voters that he was on track to become the Republican presidential nominee.
“The deep fear of Trump's return to power has been amplified by his deepening descent into authoritarianism, racism and general madness,” said Matt Bennett, executive vice president for public affairs at Third Way, a centrist Democratic advocacy group.
While Democrats say it is essential that the president raise enough money to fight Mr. Trump, the fundraising is also important if Mr. Biden wants to allay concerns about him from within his own party.
Mr. Bennett said the pace of fundraising is essential given widespread concern among voters about Mr. Biden's age.
“I don't think this panic about the polls or the president's age is simply the usual Democratic bed-wetting,” Bennett said. “There is no question that Biden should run as if he is behind, because he is.”
“He needs to tackle the age questions head-on because they are real,” he added. “However, the strong fundraising is one of many signals that the situation, while serious, is not dire. The economy is humming, and voters are starting to feel it.”