Bernie Sanders Raises $1.5 Million On First Day Of Campaign For President

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who announced his entry into the 2016 Democratic race for the White House on Thursday,?raised $1.5 million in the first 24 hours of his campaign.

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Image Via Change.org

Sanders’ campaign staff announced that the money came from 35,000 donors and that the average contribution was $43. ?Tad Devine, a senior adviser to the Senator, remarked:

“This is a remarkable start for Bernie’s campaign.?People across America are yearning for authentic leadership that tells them the truth about what is holding back our nation. Bernie Sanders understands the problems we face.”

Sanders, who has served in both the House of Representative and Senate, is a self-described “democratic socialist” who is seeking the Democratic nomination against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The early focus of us campaign has been repeated?calls to crack down on Wall Street, eliminate big money in politics, and income inequality. His candidacy has been enthusiastically welcomed by the progressive wing of the party.

Clinton’s campaign aides say they intend to raise $100 million for her primary campaign. She may also seek to raise in excess of $2 billion for the 2016 general election. Sanders, who is is strongly opposed to such funding of political campaigns, addressed the issue of campaign finance when he announced his candidacy, saying:

“We now have a political situation where billionaires are literally able to buy elections and candidates.?Let’s not kid ourselves. That is the reality right now.”

For her part, Clinton has remarked that she would support a Constitutional amendment to ban the unlimited money which has proliferated in campaigns since the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission.?