• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents have to find a new power source after their energy source looks to redirect lines to data centers

1

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents have to find a new power source after their energy source looks to redirect lines to data centers
PoliticsU.S. Presidential Election

Now that Joe Biden has dropped out of the race, what happens to his campaign money?

Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 21, 2024, 5:28 PM ET
Joe Biden peeks behind door
President Joe Biden at the White House on July 14.Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images

President Joe Biden’s abrupt exit from the campaign on Sunday leaves a giant pot of money up for grabs with the Democratic National Convention just a month away.

Recommended Video

According to the latest Federal Election Commission filings, Biden’s campaign entered July with $96 million, after spending $243 million through the end of June. That doesn’t include money the that the national Democratic Party apparatus and allied political action committees have.

But July’s fundraising likely started off slow as top donors worried about Biden’s election prospects after his disastrous debate performance in late June, with many reportedly refusing to contribute unless he dropped out.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has been quickly closing the money gap he had earlier this year with Biden and likely saw a surge after last week’s assassination attempt. According to the FEC, Trump’s campaign had $128 million in the bank at the end of last month.

Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden endorsed to take his place on the ticket, can access the campaign money most easily. Biden’s main campaign committee changed its name Sunday from “Biden for President” to “Harris for President,” according to a letter it sent to the FEC.

Because Biden and Harris share a campaign committee, she can continue using the existing funds for the general election if she is on the Democratic ticket as either the presidential or vice-presidential nominee, according to a note Sunday from Trevor Potter, who is a former FEC chairman and currently the president of the Campaign Legal Center.

“A major party’s presumptive nominee stepping down months before Election Day is not an ordinary event, but it is also not a crisis,” he wrote, adding that there are Democratic Party rules and FEC rules that govern where the money can go.

If Harris isn’t on the ticket, campaign committees are subject to federal rules, which limit candidate-to-candidate contributions to $2,000 per election, Potter explained.

The Biden campaign can also refund its donors or transfer its funds to the national Democratic Party or state parties, he said. The committees can then spend some funds in coordination with the eventual nominee.  

Aside from the Biden campaign money, Harris is poised for a big haul in her own right. Any nomination won’t be official until the DNC, and Harris said Sunday she intends “to earn and win this nomination.” Top Democratic donors Alex Soros and Reid Hoffman already pledged support for Harris.

Other donors told the New York Times on Sunday that they immediately began mobilizing for her, with one Silicon Valley bundler raising more than $1 million in just a half hour.

Meanwhile, Gretchen Sisson, a top Democratic bundler and Harris supporter, told the Times that her phone “is exploding.”

“Lots of folks are asking where to contribute, what they can do to support the campaign, and wanting to write more. People who were committed but worried are now excited and energized,” she said.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Jason Ma
By Jason MaWeekend Editor

Jason Ma is the weekend editor at Fortune, where he covers markets, the economy, finance, and housing.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

new mexico
North AmericaNew Mexico
New Mexico is raking in oil profits from Iran War, gaining $59 million for every $1 added to the price of a barrel
By Morgan Lee and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
14 hours ago
boeing
LawBoeing 737 Max
Jury awards $49.5 million to family of 24-year-old who died in Boeing 737 Max crash in 2019
By Rio Yamat and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
14 hours ago
ratcliffe
PoliticsCuba
CIA director traveled to Cuba and met with Raul Castro’s grandson, officials confirm
By Andrea Rodriguez, Eric Tucker and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
14 hours ago
leo
EuropeReligion
Pope Leo warns of ‘spiral of annihilation’ as AI warfare leads to symphony of destruction
By Nicole Winfield, Paolo Santalucia and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
14 hours ago
osborn
PoliticsElections
Democrats are looking for conservative versions of Bernie Sanders in states like Nebraska and Alaska
By Steve Peoples, Mike Catalini and The Associated PressMay 15, 2026
15 hours ago
krishna
Commentaryregulation
The U.S. has 1,200 AI bills and no good test for any of them
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Gary Marcus and Stephen HenriquesMay 15, 2026
20 hours ago

Most Popular

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
3 days ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents have to find a new power source after their energy source looks to redirect lines to data centers
Travel & Leisure
Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents have to find a new power source after their energy source looks to redirect lines to data centers
By Catherina GioinoMay 12, 2026
3 days ago
The airplane fuel shortage is a myth propagated by airlines who want to cancel unprofitable flights, says private jet CEO
Energy
The airplane fuel shortage is a myth propagated by airlines who want to cancel unprofitable flights, says private jet CEO
By Jim EdwardsMay 14, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 14, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 14, 2026
2 days ago
Top economist says $39 trillion national debt leaves government worse prepared for recession than ever
Economy
Top economist says $39 trillion national debt leaves government worse prepared for recession than ever
By Eva RoytburgMay 14, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.