Campaigns & Elections

Fetterman pulls in massive $2.7 million in third quarter of campaign

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Commonwealth Media Services

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman continues to rake in plenty of cash in his bid for U.S. Senate. 

The Braddock, Penn. Democrat raised $2.68 million in the third quarter of 2021, continuing to cement himself as a fundraising juggernaut more than a year out from the 2022 general election where voters will replace U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, who is retiring at the end of his term. 

Fetterman improved upon his fundraising numbers from the previous quarter, when he raised $2.5 million. To date, Fetterman has raised $9.2 million in 2021 and finished September with close to $4.2 million cash on hand. 

“I could not be more proud and thankful that quarter after quarter our movement is continuing to grow even bigger,” Fetterman said in a statement. “I am blown away by the support we have across the commonwealth, and the fact that we have donations from over 87% of Pennsylvania zip codes is amazing. On top of that, to have received well over 325,000 individual contributions from over 150,000 people is truly humbling. Gisele and I are just overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you.” 

Fetterman’s third quarter total was buoyed by more than 94,000 individual donations, including 24,000 first-time donors. 

Fetterman, who formally launched his campaign in February, has been the leading fundraiser among candidates from both parties and is seeking to win the Democratic nomination that eluded him in 2016. This time, however, he already has a statewide election victory under his belt and improved name recognition among the media and the general public. 

Rebecca Katz, a senior advisor for the Fetterman campaign, attributed his third quarter haul to an enthusiastic grassroots base and said the enthusiasm behind Fetterman’s campaign could also “help Democrats across Pennsylvania win up and down the ballot” in 2022.

Third quarter fundraising data for other candidates was not immediately available. 

Fetterman ended the second quarter with more cash on hand than any other candidate in the race – with $3.07 million in the bank. Next in line was Republican Jeff Bartos, with $1.8 million on hand. Val Arkoosh, a physician who chairs the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, also had a strong second quarter showing, raising more than $1 million and ending the quarter with more than $630,000 on hand. 

Third quarter campaign finance reports are due by Oct. 15, according to the Federal Election Commission.