Buttigieg touts $7M fundraising haul, says he ‘cannot be ignored’

Mayor Pete Buttigieg: What to know

What to know about Pete Buttigieg and how, despite only two terms as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he plans to capture the democratic presidential nomination.

By Paul Steinhauser  |  FOX News

Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg says he raised more than $7 million since he launched his presidential exploratory committee in January.

The South Bend, Indiana mayor appeared to be the first Democratic White House hopeful on Monday to reveal his or her fundraising figures from the January through March period, the first quarter of fundraising since the kickoff of the 2020 presidential race.

“You’re going to see bigger numbers from other campaigns today and in the next few days. That’s okay,” Buttigieg told supporters in an email and on social media. “This has always been an underdog project. But with a first fundraising report like this, we certainly cannot be ignored.”

The fundraising haul is the latest evidence that Buttigieg, who was considered a long shot for the Democratic nomination when he first jumped into the race, has become a legitimate contender over the past month, amid a surge in contributions from supporters, growing crowds at his events and rising coverage by the political media.

Buttigieg didn’t reveal the number of supporters who contributed, the amount of the average donation, or his campaign’s cash on hand. He teased that he would “be back later this afternoon with a complete analysis of some of the more meaningful metrics.”

Sunday was the last day candidates can bring in campaign cash in the first fundraising quarter for the 2020 presidential race. Starting as early as Monday morning, as witnessed by Buttigieg, the candidates will start reporting their fundraising hauls, and the numbers will be repeatedly analyzed and scrutinized.

Fundraising is considered an important barometer of a candidate’s popularity and a campaign’s strength. The cash can be used by a candidate to build an organization and hire staff and consultants, increase voter outreach efforts, travel and fund ads.

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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/buttigieg-touts-7-million-campaign-cash-haul