Joe Biden raised more than $25 million for his presidential campaign during a New York City fundraiser that also featured appearances from former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, the Biden campaign said Thursday.
The fundraiser at the Radio City Music Hall set a record for a political event, according to the campaign.
The gala followed weeks of Biden campaign appearances in battleground states across the country, where the president reiterated a unity message from the State of the Union address and highlighted administration accomplishments.
President Biden’s guests were headliners: former President Barack Obama met with President Biden in Washington to make the trip to New York, while former President Bill Clinton was expected to join them at the gala.
Thousands of attendees were expected at the fundraiser, where artists including Queen Latifah, Lizzo and Ben Platt were performing. Talk show host Stephen Colbert was moderating a panel discussion with the three presidents.
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Tickets for the event started at $225, and rose steeply to other tiers including a photo with the presidents for $100,000, entry to the reception at $250,000 and an exclusive event for $500,000 donors.
The $25 million in new funds will boost the Biden campaign’s efforts to go head to head with former President Donald Trump.
“This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built,” said campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg. “Unlike our opponent, every dollar we’re raising is going to reach the voters who will decide this election — communicating the president’s historic record, his vision for the future and laying plain the stakes of this election."
One Trump campaign insider who spoke with the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the Trump campaign expected to raise $33 million at its own fundraising event in Palm Beach, Florida, next week.
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