WASHINGTON: Scranton isn’t a standard stop on the Democratic fundraising circuit. Yet Hillary Clinton put the working class Pennsylvania town on her itinerary — several times.
The Democratic presidential nominee and her family have made four visits to Scranton donors since launching her campaign last August, raising millions of dollars in a former industrial city more known for needing economic aid than giving it out.
“Last July, we were all pinching ourselves and saying it’s a once in a lifetime experience, but then she came back,” said Grace McGregor, whose parents hosted an event Monday at their home.
Clinton is leaving no fundraiser behind as she crisscrosses the country scooping up cash. She’s already been to 10 fundraisers in the first half of the month, and some of the biggest events are yet to come. In fact, she is on track to top the $90 million she raised for her campaign and Democratic allies in July.
August has always been one of the best months to raise money because voters tend to be more focused on their summer vacations than politics, giving candidates more time to woo donors.
Clinton definitely got that memo.
Donors can rock out to Cher at a Cape Cod “summer celebration” on Sunday and close out the month by dancing with Jimmy Buffett in the Hamptons. In between, during a Clinton California swing, they can talk politics with actor Leonardo DiCaprio, retired basketball star Magic Johnson or Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Clinton’s labors on the fundraising circuit have kept her ahead of Republican rival Donald Trump. But he unexpectedly came close to rivaling her haul in July, raising more than $80 million for his campaign and supportive Republican Party groups.
Having spent more than $50 million of his own money during the primary, Trump had no fundraising operation throughout the primary, meaning he was building one from scratch as Clinton’s finely tuned machine was cranking out results.
Along with running mate Mike Pence, Trump has lined up at least two dozen August fundraisers, an increased pace over July and June.
Trump sees his greatest fundraising numbers not from high-dollar dinner events at posh homes — though he’s doing that, too — but from small donations. Trump said more than $64 million of his total came from millions of Americans giving online or by mailing in checks.
Neither Clinton nor Trump is allowing reporters in the room for the fundraisers.