9 key numbers to know about the money in the 2020 presidential race

Big money is flowing in the 2020 presidential race, even amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to an Issue One analysis of new campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday. 

Here are some of the key numbers to know from these new filings, which detail the money presidential candidates — and their allies — raised and spent in August.

$1.41 billion: The total amount of money that has flowed into the 2020 election so far through the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden or been spent by outside groups supporting Trump or Biden. Thanks to a massive fundraising haul in August, Biden and his allies have controlled about 54% of this sum ($759 million), while Trump and his allies have controlled about 46% ($653 million).

$1.03 billion: The total amount of money raised through August 31 since the election began by the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Biden’s campaign alone has raised about $541 million, while Trump’s campaign alone has raised about $488 million. In other words, Biden has raised about $1.11 so far for every $1 Trump has.

$384 million: The total amount of money spent so far in the general election by outside group allies of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Pro-Biden outside groups have together spent about $219 million, while pro-Trump outside groups have spent about $165 million. In other words, pro-Biden groups have spent about $1.32 for every $1 spent by pro-Trump groups.

$62 million: The total amount of money raised in August by President Donald Trump’s official campaign committee. That’s down slightly from the $72 million Trump’s campaign raised in July. Trump’s campaign entered September with about $121 million in its coffers.

$212 million: The total amount raised in August by the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. That’s more than four times as much the $50 million Biden’s campaign raised in July. Biden’s campaign entered September with about $181 million in its coffers.

$580,600: The total amount of money a single individual donor can currently give to Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee that benefits Trump’s presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee, and Republican parties in 22 states.

$730,600: The total amount of money a single individual donor can currently give to the Biden Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee that benefits Biden’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and Democratic parties in 37 states.

$436 million: The total amount that outside groups such as super PACs and dark money groups have spent in the 2020 presidential race. Of this sum, around $52 million was spent in the Democratic presidential primary. Since the beginning of April, outside groups focused on the presidential general election have spent roughly $354 million.

$315 million: The total amount that the 12 top-spending outside groups — each of which has spent more than $10 million — have spent in the 2020 presidential race. Of this sum, 76% has been spent on negative ads. Notably, these 12 groups account for more than 72% of all spending by non-candidate groups in the race.

Amisa Ratliff contributed to this report.

Fact: The 12 top-spending outside groups — each of which has spent $10M+ — account for 72% of the total spending by all PACs, super PACs, and dark money groups in the 2020 presidential race

76% of the $315M spent by the top 12 outside groups has been on negative ads pic.twitter.com/oB09L6ot2a

— Michael Beckel (@mjbeckel) September 21, 2020