HELENA – Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s presidential campaign reported Friday that he raised more than $2 million in the first six weeks of his campaign and that he hit another threshold to help him qualify for the second Democratic candidates’ debate.
The campaign didn’t release details on his fundraising, except to say he has received “grassroots support from all 50 states.” The publicly available report on his fundraising must be filed by July 15.
Bullock’s fundraising lags far behind some of the frontrunners in the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president.
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg reported raising nearly $25 million in the three months ending June 30; former Vice President Joe Biden had $21.5 in the final two months of that period; U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said he raised about $18 million.
Bullock kicked off his long-shot campaign on May 14.
His campaign also said he had hit a minimum threshold in another “qualifying poll” for the second debate among the Democratic presidential candidates later this month in July and would be on the stage in Detroit.
“As the only candidate who has won and governed a Trump state, we could not be more excited that Gov. Bullock’s important voice will be on stage,” campaign manager Jenn Ridder said in a statement.
Bullock did not qualify for the first Democratic presidential candidate debates last week in Miami.
However, the website Politico reported Friday that while Bullock appears to be in good position to qualify for the Detroit debate, the final slate is far from set.
It said 21 candidates, including Bullock, have hit the threshold of hitting 1 percent in three qualifying polls or having 65,000 donors. That’s one more than the Democratic National Committee will allow at the debate, so someone will get cut, based on tiebreakers.
Bullock is among four candidates who are on the edge, Politico reported, although he currently is ahead of U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who’s hit the polling threshold in only three polls, compared to Bullock’s five.
Bullock has been spending most of his campaign time in Iowa, site of the first presidential nominating caucuses next February.
He’s also visited New Hampshire, site of the first presidential primary elections, and has appeared on several national news programs.
-Mike Dennison reporting for MTN News
