- Ted Johnson
The List: Kamala Harris Leads in Hollywood Money, But Pete Buttigieg Raised More in Second Quarter
Kamala Harris leads in fundraising from showbiz sources, but Pete Buttigieg out raised her another other candidates in the most recent quarter.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Harris has collected $687,798 from entertainment industry donors so far this year, compared to $538,747 for Buttigieg and $253,577 for Cory Booker.
But Buttigieg largely ran up his total in the second quarter, which ended on June 30, as he drew contributions from a large base of celebrity figures, media moguls and writers, directors and producers. He raised $485,372 from showbiz sources in the quarter, followed by Harris with $249,927.
Joe Biden, who launched his campaign in April, so far has raised $221,680, according to OpenSecrets data.
One candidate who has also picked up steam in Hollywood fundraising: Elizabeth Warren. She raised $114,592 from the industry in the second quarter, compared to $25,589 in the first. That's significant given that she has shunned the type of traditional high-dollar events favored by some of her rivals.
President Trump raised almost $100,000 from industry sources, far less than he has collected from other sectors and a reflection of how lopsided the entertainment industry in support of leftward candidates.
Here's the list of who's leading in the Hollywood money race, based on the latest figures from OpenSecrets.org. The figures are for contributions to candidate committees only, and are through June 30.
A disclaimer: Often there is surprise that the figures so candidates are so low, given that a single Hollywood fundraiser can bring in a few hundred thousand dollars for a candidate. Biden's first big L.A. event, for instance, reportedly brought in more than $700,000. Not everyone at the event may work in the industry, and others may be connected to showbiz yet placed into a separate category. For instance, as it combs through donations, OpenSecrets may place an entertainment attorney in its category for "lawyers."
Buttigieg will return to Los Angeles on Thursday for a series of events, including one hosted by NBCUniversal International President Kevin MacLellan and his husband Brian Curran. Co-hosts include Ellen DeGeneres, Sean Hayes, Chelsea Handler and Jason Bateman.
Money raised from movie/TV/music sources by presidential candidates
1. Kamala Harris $687,798
2. Pete Buttigieg $538,497
3. Cory Booker $253,577
4. Joseph Biden $221,680
5. Bernie Sanders $149,180
6. Elizabeth Warren $144,021
7. Kirsten Gillibrand $109,077
8. Beto O'Rourke $101,311
9. Donald Trump $97,574
10. Amy Klobuchar $84,934
11. John Hickenlooper $75,548
12. Michael Bennet $55,331
13. Jay Inslee $48,091
14. Tulsi Gabbard $28,711
15. Steve Bullock $27,100
16. Julian Castro $26,173
17. Andrew Yang $24,797
18. John Delaney $16,005
19. Marianne Williamson $15,375
20. Bill de Blasio $8,400
21. Tim Ryan $3,825
22. Seth Moulton $3,550
23. William Weld $1,000

Source: Center for Responsive Politicss