Marco Rubio's campaign raises $12 million
Marco Rubio's presidential campaign announced Monday it had raised $12 million in the second fundraising quarter and began July with $9.72 million cash on hand.
His leadership PAC, which raises money to support other Republicans running for office, brought in $1.2 million and has $539,000 cash on hand.
The campaign said the donations came from all 50 states, and the median contribution was $50. In Rubio's home state of Florida, which he represents in the U.S. Senate, 12,000 donors contributed a total of $2.2 million.
In announcing the fundraising total, Rubio's team boasted of a "lean" operation that has allowed the candidate to attend more than 40 events in 17 states while spending just $2.27 million.
In terms of presidential committee fundraising, that puts Rubio atop the GOP pack. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush raised $11.4 million, although he was only in the race for 16 days of the three-month fundraising period. Other big fundraisers include Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, whose presidential committee brought in $9.9 million in the second quarter, and neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who brought in $8.3 million.
The super PAC and 501(c)4 organizations supporting Rubio both had big fundraising quarters as well. Conservative Solutions PAC raised $16.1 million and Conservative Solutions Project, the 501(c)4, brought in $15.8 million.
But no candidate has come close to besting Bush, whose Right to Rise super PAC brought in $103 million since the beginning of the year. Rubio's total presidential and outside group resources of about $45 million put him in third place among Republicans. Cruz has just over $50 million in money raised by his presidential committee and outside PACs, which have raised $37 million to support his bid.