DeMaio has built a grassroots fundraising army with average contribution just $63 with cost-of-funds just 8.2%, campaign ends Q3 with over $1.4 Million Cash On Hand
San Diego — Something BIG is happening in California politics, and for once it involves a Republican!
In just the first 8 weeks of his candidacy for Congress in California’s 50th District, Carl DeMaio continues to demonstrate an astonishing fundraising ability by raising over $1,300,000 with 20,872 individual contributors powering his campaign with an average contribution of just $63.
DeMaio’s haul represents a new national fundraising record for a non-incumbent candidate who is contesting a seat in a regular election.
DeMaio launched his campaign on August 5 and broke records right out of the gate by raising a shocking $250,000 in the first 24 hours and $450,000 in the first 72 hours of his campaign. The fact that DeMaio hauled in more than $1.3 million over 8 weeks demonstrated the sustainability of his fundraising momentum.
On top of the $1.3 million in funds raised from donors, DeMaio has made an additional loan of $250,000 to his campaign and also transferred $36,200 from a previous federal committee. Total funds secured for DeMaio’s congressional bid now tops $1.6 million after just 8 weeks – with cash-on-hand at $1.4 million as of September 30 after all bills are paid.
That’s not all: the latest polling shows DeMaio is beating not only incumbent Rep. Duncan Hunter but also former Rep. Darrell Issa handily. (Which brings up another point: DeMaio’s fundraising success comes as he faces not only an incumbent Member of Congress but also a former Member of Congress in the same race!)
DeMaio’s fundraising haul by the numbers:
- Massive Movement of Grassroots Donors: DeMaio has received support from 20,872 individual donors – with 78% contributing $100 or less and 52% contributing $50 or less! The average contribution sits at just $63.18. Only 14 of DeMaio’s 20k-plus donors have maxed out.
- Low Fundraising Costs: Many candidates spend almost as much as they raise in fundraising costs. Not DeMaio. To raise his $1.3 million, DeMaio’s cost of funds was just 8.2% of funds raised or a total cost for fundraising of $109,490 – which included $20,502 for a direct mail solicitation, $18,700 in Facebook ads, $49,724 for credit card processing fees, $1564 in event expenses and $19,000 for his in-house fundraising staff and commissions.
- Sustainability of Repeat Donations: Of the 20,872 individual contributors who supported DeMaio in the first eight weeks, more than 21% of them gave more than once. The fact that DeMaio’s donors are willing to contribute small amounts on a repeat basis will sustain DeMaio’s fundraising momentum
- Online Contributions vs Events: DeMaio held 21 fundraising events during Q3 that brought in roughly 10% of his funds raised versus more than 75 percent of his funds came in through digital efforts of email, text, and online ads. The remaining funds came in through fundraising letters and candidate calls.
- Over $1.4 Million Cash On Hand: After all expenses are paid for his eight weeks of the campaign, DeMaio has over $1.4 million cash on hand.
DeMaio has raised more funds in his first eight weeks of campaigning than the vast majority of Congressional candidates and incumbents raise during an entire cycle.
“I’m so grateful for the support we’re receiving from grassroots contributors who believe that we can fight and win in California – it just takes a new model for how Republicans compete in a deep blue state,” said DeMaio.
“Carl DeMaio has built a grassroots money machine that will power his campaign to victory,” said Dave McCulloch of Capitol Media Partners who oversees DeMaio’s online fundraising efforts. “Look at the average contribution – you can bet most of DeMaio’s 20,000-plus donors will give again and again to him as the campaign progresses,” McCulloch concluded.
About Carl DeMaio:
At a time when too many politicians cave in on their principles or merely pay lip-service to their constituents, Carl DeMaio is a fighter who takes action for what he believes in. A successful businessman, DeMaio founded his first company by age 24, his second by age 29, and sold both by age 33. Since then, he has hosted a popular news/talk radio show on NewsRadio 600 KOGO, and founded Reform California – a grassroots campaign advocacy organization for government accountability and has blocked over $3 billion in tax hikes.
Now Carl DeMaio is running for U.S. Congress with a plan to shake it up by advancing a bold, fresh Reform Agenda and recruiting other principled reformers to run for office.
For more information on DeMaio’s candidacy, visit CarlDeMaio.com
