Former President Donald Trump reportedly raised more than $50.5 million from deep-pocketed donors during a record-setting Florida event — but still lags behind President Joe Biden in terms of campaign cash.
Hedge fund manager John Paulson hosted several fellow billionaires among about 100 guests at his Palm Beach home for the Saturday night fundraiser at which the suggested contribution was as much as $814,600 per person, the Associated Press reported.
Trump's haul set a new high mark for a single political event, nearly doubling the $26 million-plus that Biden's campaign said it raised when the incumbent sat down with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton for a nearly hourlong discussion at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 28.
"It took three Democrat presidents to raise $25 million and one president to raise over $50 million, Donald J. Trump," Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in statement.
The invitation for Saturday's fundraiser said the proceeds would go to the Trump 47 Committee, which comprises the Republican National Committee, state Republican parties and the Save America PAC that pays most of Trump's legal bills.
Also Saturday, Biden's campaign and the Democratic National Committee said they raised more than $90 million in March and ended the first quarter of 2024 with $192 million in cash on hand, AP said.
Earlier last week, Trump's campaign and the RNC reported raising $65.5 million in March and said they had $93.1 million on hand.
Despite his fundraising edge, Biden has trailed Trump in general election polls for months, according to the Real Clear Politics average.
On Sunday, it gave Trump a narrow, 1.1% national edge over Biden, 46.9% to 45.8%.
Trump also leads Biden in six of seven battleground states, with Biden ahead in only one, Pennsylvania, by just 0.1%, according to RCP's averages.
