WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is making a big effort to raise money for his re-election bid by the end of the year, appearing at seven events through next Monday, with more to come.
Mr. Biden was scheduled to travel to Massachusetts on Tuesday to attend three fundraisers in Boston benefiting his campaign and the broader Democratic Party and interact with donors. That included an event in the city’s theater district that featured a concert by singer-songwriter and guitarist James Taylor.
Later this week, Democrats are scheduled to hit the West Coast on Friday for the first fundraiser in Los Angeles since the end of the actors and writers strike, as well as film director Steven Spielberg and “Scandal” showrunner Shonda Rhimes. Celebrities will participate.
Biden also attended a fundraiser near the White House on Wednesday and is scheduled to attend another fundraiser in Philadelphia on Monday.
“The next election is going to be different,” the president said at a money event in Denver last week, drawing a contrast with former President Donald Trump, Biden’s likely Republican opponent. I tried to draw. “Not because I’m running, but because of the nature of the problem.”
Fundraising will surge as the holiday season begins and candidates make a last-ditch effort to raise the necessary funds before the quarter ends on Dec. 31.
Biden also spearheaded fundraising efforts in Washington, D.C., and Maryland in late December.
November will be the campaign’s most grassroots month since Biden officially announced he was seeking a second term last April, according to a campaign official who requested anonymity to discuss campaign finance before details were made public. It was an active month for fundraising. Figures are expected to be announced in January.
In October, Biden and the Democratic National Committee reported that they had raised more than $71 million for Biden’s re-election campaign in the three months ending September 30, which is more than $71 million for the 2024 presidential election. It’s a sign that donors continue to support Biden.
One of the events in Boston is titled “You’ve Got a Friend in Joe” and is being billed as an “evening concert” by Taylor and Biden. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the red, white and blue invitation.
Taylor, who is the winner of six Grammy Awards, helped kick off the 2022 White House event celebrating the Inflation Control Act, the climate change and health care bill signed into law by Biden.
On Friday, Biden attended his first big-money event since a strike by writers and actors effectively halted fundraising in the entertainment industry hub that has long served as a major source of revenue. He plans to head to Los Angeles to do so. Democratic Party campaign funds.
The event was held at the home of Michael Smith, a famous interior designer who decorated the White House for President Barack Obama, and Smith’s partner, James Kostos, a former HBO executive who served as President Obama’s ambassador to Spain. It is scheduled to be held. It is expected to raise millions of dollars and attract many celebrities. Rocker Lenny Kravitz is scheduled to perform.
Director Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, who starred in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, as well as record industry mogul David Geffen, Rhimes, and “This Is Spinal Tap” director Rob Reiner. is said to be one of the organizers of the event. Send to AP obtained invitation.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is also a co-sponsor. Barbra Streisand will also be in attendance.
As of the last fundraising reporting deadline at the end of September, Biden and his party reported $91 million in cash on hand. He is helped by the fact that, as party leader, he has joint fundraising agreements with the Democratic National Committee and state parties, which allow him to receive checks in the $1 million range from a single donor. .
___
Associated Press writer Brian Slodisco contributed to this report.
