GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump significantly stepped up his fundraising in the New Mexico in June, according to Federal Election Commission reports.
But Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton still has a huge fundraising advantage in the state. And her campaign expenses for May and June pre-primary events were considerably less than Trump’s.
Through June 30, Clinton raised nearly $1.2 million from New Mexicans, compared with nearly $87,000 for Trump.
More than 62 percent of Trump’s New Mexico cash came in June.
That reflects a national improvement in Trump’s June fundraising.
In his first real month of full-on fundraising, Donald Trump doubled Hillary Clinton’s June total of unitemized (small-$) contributions.
— Derek Willis (@derekwillis) July 21, 2016
Here’s a look at Clinton and Trump’s fundraising by month – Clinton began her campaign in April 2015, while Trump entered the race in July 2015.
In addition to those who donated to Trump through a May 24 Trump Victory joint fundraiser, some traditional GOP donors gave to the nominee.
Thornton McElvain, a retired geologist, donated $2,700. Another 15 New Mexicans donated $1,000 each to Trump, including Guy Bowers, one of the top 10 New Mexico campaign donors in 2014. Bowers is a retired police officer who lists Ruidoso as his address but lives in Las Vegas.
But Trump’s $54,000 take from New Mexico in June was offset by the expense of his May 24 rally at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Trump’s campaign spent nearly $36,000 on the event, records show.
His campaign paid $13,000 to rent the convention center. The campaign also paid AE Productions of Albuquerque nearly $21,800 for audio visual services and Alliance Audio Visual of Albuquerque $1,018 for such services.
That compares with $3,205 spent by the Clinton campaign for venues in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces during former President Bill Clinton’s visits in late May and early June. Clinton’s campaign also paid about $1,375 in June for a New Mexico staff person.
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign spent about $6,800 visiting Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces in late May.