Pete Buttigieg Releases Stunning Second-Quarter Fundraising Total

Pete Buttigieg raised $24.8 million in campaign funds in the second quarter of this year, more than three times his first-quarter total and likely to put him at or near the top in second-quarter fundraising among Democratic presidential candidates.

Buttigieg announced the total Monday, The New York Times reports. The mayor of South Bend, Ind., who is gay, was the first Dem hopeful to release his fundraising haul for the quarter; candidates have until July 15 to report their second-quarter numbers to the Federal Election Commission.

The $24.8 million came from more than 294,000 donors, 230,000 of them new to the campaign, the Times reports. He has drawn a total of 400,000 donors over the course of his presidential bid. The average contribution is $47.42, and the campaign now has $22.6 million in cash on hand.

"This fundraising report shows that Pete's message is resonating with Americans, and it's proof that we are building an organization that can compete," campaign manager Mike Schmuhl said in an email to supporters this morning.

Buttigieg raised $7.1 million in the first quarter, putting him fourth among Democratic candidates, behind U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, with $18.2 million; U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, with $12 million; and former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas, with $9.4 million. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the front-runner in the race, had yet to announce his candidacy.

Buttigieg's second-quarter total "is the clearest indicator yet" that he "has become a formidable contender in the race for the Democratic nomination," the Times notes. However, the candidate -- who was endorsed Friday by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which backs office-seekers who are out, qualified, and viable -- faces a crisis back home in South Bend, where many residents are outraged by the fatal shooting of a Black man by a white police officer. The incident remains under investigation.