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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Lead Narrowing, Biden Touts Grassroots Backing

Marching past new poll results that show him losing ground to Senator Kamala Harris in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Vice President Joe Biden revealed Wednesday that he has outraised her nearly 2-to-1.

(CN) — Marching past new poll results that show him losing ground to Senator Kamala Harris in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Vice President Joe Biden revealed Wednesday that he has outraised her nearly 2-to-1.

Though he took care not to call out any specific opponent, Biden touted his campaign as having “raised more money per day than any other presidential campaign.”

Compared to the $12 million raised by Harris in the first quarter, Biden has collected $21.5 million, with grassroots donors accounting for 97% of all donations.

News of the fundraising came one day after Quinnipiac University published a poll that placed Biden with 22% of the vote and Harris with 20% of the vote — well within the poll’s 5% plus or minus margin of error.

Harris’ jump in the polls has been widely attributed to her performance in the first Democratic presidential debate where she directed criticism at Biden for his close relationship with senators who she said built their political reputations by opposing busing as a method of desegregating public schools. 

Mary Snow, a polling analyst for Quinnipiac University, said Biden's “once-commanding lead has evaporated.”

“Round 1 of the Democratic debates puts Senator Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden on two different trajectories, as support for Harris surges but continues to slip for Biden,” Snow said. 

Conducted from June 28 to July 1, the poll also shows that Biden’s support with black voters fell from 48% to 31% since a June 11 poll. Support for Harris by these voters meanwhile grew from 11% to 27%  in the same period. 

Democratic presidential candidates Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders polled at 14% and 13% support, respectively. All other candidates polled below 5%.

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