Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand raised less than $3 million for her presidential campaign over the last three months and spent almost as much as she raised, setting off warning bells for the New Yorker’s floundering presidential campaign.
Her take put her near the back of the pack in the Democratic money race. It was so weak that she didn’t even match her own fundraising during the same period two years ago, when she was preparing to defend her Senate seat. Back then she raked in more than $4 million.
Democratic Party insiders have taken note of Ms. Gillibrand’s struggle to gain traction in the presidential race.
“When you’re not even doing better than certain members of the House, candidates in non-targeted Senate races or your own past fundraising, you need to take a hard look at your strategy and your team and figure out where you went wrong,” one Democratic operative said on condition of anonymity. “It’s a well-worn trope that you only need to raise enough to compete, but I’m not sure $3 million in this race is enough.”
Ms. Gillibrand’s fundraising mirrored her performance in the polls, where she is stuck in the 1% club and sometimes gets zero support.
In the money race, she trailed all five fellow senators and a couple of newcomers vying for the Democratic nomination.
Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont led with $18 million, followed by Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California ($12 million), former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas ($9.4 million), South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg ($7 million), Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts ($6 million), Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota ($5.2 million) and Sen. Cory A. Booker of New Jersey ($5 million).
The Gillibrand campaign is kept afloat with $9.6 million left over from her last Senate campaign, which gives her the third-most cash on hand after Mr. Sanders’ $15 million and Ms. Warren’s $11 million.
Columbia University political science professor Donald P. Green, who studies the ways in which political campaigns mobilize and persuade voters, said it was too early to count out Ms. Gillibrand.
“Although she is not grabbing headlines and not raising a ton of money, she is well-positioned to play the long game,” he said. “She’s a capable public speaker and debate performer, and she should be able to stay in a holding pattern until it’s her time to take the stage”
The Gillibrand campaign refused to answer questions about the fundraising numbers and the level of support for the candidate.
Ms. Gillibrand forged her political brand fighting sexual assault in the military and leading the #MeToo movement, including being the first Democrat to call for the resignation of Sen. Al Franken, Minnesota Democrat, over groping allegations.
Turning women’s empowerment issues into a campaign platform of standing up for Democratic ideals from gay rights to racial justice, Ms. Gillibrand frequently denounces President Trump as a coward and vows to replace him with brave leadership.
She will continue to take her message to early voting states this week with her fourth visit to Iowa. The three-day swing starting Wednesday includes an event where she will be endorsed by Kirsten Anderson, a former Iowa Statehouse staffer who sued the state and won after being sexually harassed on the job.
Ms. Gillibrand entered the crowded Democratic field with the advantage of an established donor base in solidly Democratic and wealthy New York. She returned to the New York money trough this year but still came up short.
A big donor for her this year was the New York-based international law firm of Davis, Polk & Wardwell, which has been a top patron of Ms. Gillibrand during her Senate career.
Ms. Gillibrand collected $46,800 in combined contributions from 24 of the law firm’s employees, including a dozen who gave the legal limit of $2,800.
Most of Ms. Gillibrand’s support came via ActBlue, the Democratic internet donation service. ActBlue delivered 2,173 contributions totaling $2.65 million.
The Gillibrand campaign emphasized that she was relying on grass-roots support for her presidential run. The average contribution in the first quarter was $25 with 92% of contributions under $200.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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