Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign said Sunday it had raised about $10 million in the second quarter. The sum is fueled by small-dollar donors, they said.
That means, paired with pro-Cruz outside spending groups, the Texas senator and company have raised $51 million since his campaign began in March.
Cruz, long dogged by questions whether his grassroots appeal would translate to enough financial support to win the Republican nomination, said it had raised a total of $14.2 million in the first two quarters. His campaign brought in $4.3 million in the first quarter.
His second quarter haul cannot be verified until Cruz files his report with the Federal Election Commission.
Also filing with the FEC will be four super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited money as long as it is not coordinated with the campaign, funded by allies of Cruz. A leader of those groups told CNN in June that it had raised more than $37 million thanks to a few big moneymen.
“The aggregate total of over $51 million means that, along with Cruz’s strong support from the conservative grassroots across the country, Cruz’s campaign will have the resources, the manpower, and the energy to compete vigorously in all early state contests, as well as nationally in the Super Tuesday states on March 1st,” Cruz’s campaign said in a statement.
A total of 175,000 donors contributed to the campaign, giving an average of $81, the campaign said.
Cruz was the only presidential candidate required to file a first quarter fundraising report, but some of his competitors are announcing their totals before the second quarter report deadline on July 15. The super PACs must file with the FEC by the end of the month.
No Republican is expected to match the fundraising prowess of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, whose super PAC may announce having raised more than $100 million. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio are also expected to post strong hauls, though their backers have have not indicated their sums will reach $51 million.
Ben Carson, the only other presidential candidate to unveil his numbers, has said his campaign raised $8.3 million in the second quarter.
The Cruz campaign is summoning its top donors to a weekend retreat in Colorado Springs this upcoming weekend.