WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris ' campaign and affiliated Democratic groups raised about $633 million for the quarter, which ended last month, pushing their total to over $1 billion while maintaining a large financial advantage over Republican candidate Donald Trump in the presidential election's final sprint.
The vice president’s campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state parties raised more than $359 million in September alone. Harris' campaign raised about $222 million in September. Harris’ team alone spent more than it took in last month, paying out about $270 million to help boost a large advertising push, as it works to reach voters on the radio, television, online, billboards and other avenues.
The Harris campaign and affiliated committees entered October with $346 million on hand, according to federal filings.
The Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and affiliated groups previously reported raising $160 million in September — up from the $130 million they reported raising in August. They had $283 million in the bank to start October.
Harris' campaign didn't preview its quarterly haul before filing finance records. That was a break from tradition, when it reported large monthly totals that have far exceeded those raised by Trump and the GOP since Harris took over at the top of the ticket from President Joe Biden in July.
Ahead of its latest filings, though, the Harris campaign said on Sunday night that 95% of its third quarter donations were under $200. Around 6 million donors made over 13.1 million contributions to Harris, including 4.3 million people who donated for the first time this election cycle, the campaign said.
Harris also benefited from star power to boost donations.
The vice president's team said she raised $55 million in one late September weekend where she went on a fundraising blitz in California. She raised $28 million at an event in Los Angeles that featured a bevy of stars including Jessica Alba, Lily Tomlin, and Stevie Wonder. She also raised $27 million during a San Francisco event, which was attended by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The prior weekend, Harris raised $27 million during a glitzy fundraiser in New York City.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump attends the New York Jets football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a church service and early vote event at Divine Faith Ministries International, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Jonesboro, Ga. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit Monday, hours after a Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian capital and as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushes Western partners to keep providing military support for the war.
Austin said on the X platform that his fourth visit shows “that the United States, alongside the international community, continues to stand by Ukraine.”
Ukraine is having difficulty holding back a ferocious Russian campaign along the eastern front that is gradually compelling Kyiv’s forces to give up a series of towns, villages and hamlets.
Zelenskyy is urging Western allies to support his so-called “victory plan” to end the almost three-year war, which is Europe’s biggest since World War II and has cost tens of thousands of lives on both sides, including many civilians.
His strategy includes a formal invitation for Ukraine to join NATO and permission to use Western long-range missiles to strike military targets in Russia — steps that Kyiv’s allies have previously balked at supporting.
The Western response has been lukewarm, and Austin was expected to discuss the plan with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said in a Sunday evening video address that his plan had won the backing of France, Lithuania, Nordic countries and “many other allies” in the European Union, which he didn’t name.
The key country, however, is the United States, which is Ukraine’s biggest military supplier.
Zelenskyy said he had received “very positive signals from the United States,” but he stopped short of saying he had secured Washington’s endorsement for the plan.
Analysts say the U.S. is unlikely to make a decision before the Nov. 5. presidential election.
The latest Russian strikes on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, rammed home the urgency for Kyiv officials of clinching guarantees of more support, particularly large amounts of ammunition for the war of attrition the sides are engaged in.
A Russian missile attack on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia injured 14 people in the city center and caused huge damage to civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten and more than 30 residential buildings, regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov said.
Russia conducted a ballistic missile strike at Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, injuring five people, city administration head Oleksandr Vilkul wrote on social media.
According to Vilkul, Russia has conducted ballistic missile attacks on Kryvyi Rih for three consecutive days, injuring the total of 21 people and damaging dozens of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Machine gunfire and the noise of drones’ engines was also heard in Kyiv’s center throughout the night. Authorities reported minor damages to civilian infrastructure caused by falling drone debris in three districts.
Russia fired three missiles and more than 100 drones at Ukraine overnight from Sunday to Monday, Ukraine's air force said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara on Monday to discuss cooperation between their countries.
According to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, the meeting focused on strengthening strategic relations, defense cooperation and addressing global food security through Black Sea grain shipments from Ukraine that pass through Turkey’′ Bosphorus Strait.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought to steer a balanced line in his NATO-member country’s close relations with both Ukraine and Russia. He has previously offered to host a peace summit between the two countries.
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Oct. 21, 2024, a rescue worker extinguishes a fire at a house destroyed by a Russian strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Oct. 21, 2024, rescue workers clear the rubble of a house destroyed by a Russian strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency workers clear the rubble after Russia attacked the city with guided bombs overnight in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency workers clear the rubble after an overnight Russian attack with guided bombs in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency workers clear the rubble after Russia attacked the city with guided bombs overnight in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, a Russian self-propelled mortar Nona-SVK fires towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
