In a remarkable display of Democratic enthusiasm, Vice President Kamala Harris has garnered an unprecedented wave of support from donors who had previously been on the sidelines. New data reveals that in the first 10 days of her campaign, Harris received more donations than President Joe Biden did throughout his entire 15-month campaign. What's more, the majority of these donors were not only new to Harris' campaign, but to lending their financial backing to any Democrats this election cycle.

Detailed analysis of fundraising data by POLITICO shows that from July 21, the day Biden dropped out of the race, until July 31, Harris' campaign and affiliated joint fundraising committees received contributions from nearly 2.3 million individual donors. This surpasses Biden's count of just under 2.1 million donors dating back to April 2023 when he formally launched his reelection bid. It is worth noting that Harris even surpassed Biden's donor count a day earlier, on July 30.

What truly sets Harris' campaign apart is the fact that approximately 70 percent of her donors, totaling over 1.5 million individuals, had not donated to Biden's campaign. Remarkably, most of these donors had not contributed to any Democratic candidates or groups during this election cycle. This surge of new donors showcases an unparalleled level of Democratic enthusiasm and underscores Harris' ability to tap into a part of the party's base that Biden was not able to reach.

Further emphasizing this point is the fact that about a quarter of the new Harris donors, just shy of 400,000 people, had actually supported Biden's 2020 campaign but had not yet contributed to his reelection bid. It is evident that Harris' emergence in the race has reignited the passion of these small-dollar donors.

This flood of donations has equipped Harris with the financial resources needed to swiftly revamp her campaign, gearing up for a highly competitive general election against former President Donald Trump. The surge in funding has also alleviated concerns within the Democratic party about their overall enthusiasm.

The analysis of campaign finance reports by POLITICO included donations of any amount given directly to the Biden and Harris campaigns or joint fundraising committees through ActBlue, the predominant Democratic fundraising platform. Large donations reported directly to the campaigns or through joint fundraising committees were also taken into consideration. However, small donations that were not funneled through ActBlue, which make up a small fraction of the total contributions, were not itemized in FEC reports and thus were not counted.

While Biden's grassroots fundraising efforts never fully gained momentum, his campaign benefited from the support of a dedicated group of recurring donors. Even after his withdrawal from the race following the June debate, many of these donors remained steadfast in their support. Contrary to the concerns of some major donors threatening to withhold funding until he dropped out, Biden's online fundraising remained steady in the initial weeks of July, as per the newly filed reports.

However, Biden's decision to exit the race showcased the level of small-dollar-donor enthusiasm that Democrats had been lacking with him as a candidate. On the day Biden dropped out, Harris' newly minted campaign received 3.5 times the amount of donations compared to Biden's best fundraising day.

Notably, there is no apparent distinction, at least on paper, between the characteristics of donors who supported Harris after Biden's departure and those who contributed to his campaign. Harris attracted more donors than Biden from nearly every state, with California leading the way followed by New York and Georgia. Conversely, there were declines in donations from Florida and Delaware. Based on a POLITICO analysis of first names, it appears that slightly more than half of Harris' donors are female, mirroring the donor demographics seen during Biden's campaign.

While donors represent only a fraction of the overall voter population, the level of excitement that Harris has generated within the Democratic base remains to be seen if it translates into broader appeal. However, the inflow of funds has undeniably had a significant impact on her campaign. Harris quickly closed the financial gap with former President Trump, ending July with $68 million more in the bank.

As the campaign for the 2024 election unfolds, the surge in donations to Harris' campaign underscores the shifting dynamics and growing excitement within the Democratic party. Harris has successfully activated a wave of supporters, signaling her ability to connect with a portion of the base that President Biden struggled to reach. The challenge now lies in harnessing this momentum and expanding her appeal to a wider electorate.