Hillary Clinton: What It Took For Her to Raise $45 Million in Just 3 Months
— -- Since launching her campaign, Hillary Clinton has been on a frenzied, money-raising spree -- and it looks like it paid off.
The Democratic presidential candidate has raised more than $45 million in donations in just the first three months of her campaign alone, according to a Clinton campaign official familiar with the campaign’s second-quarter FEC filings.
This impressive number is nearly half of the campaign’s goal to raise $100 million by the end of the year.
Clinton’s campaign did not provide the official filings, which will be made available to the public in two weeks, but if their number holds true, the campaign says it would break the record for the most primary money raised by a candidate during the first quarter in the race.
As we all know though, money doesn’t grow on trees and reaching this number didn’t come easy.
Here’s what Clinton and her campaign had to do to raise the big bucks:
FUNDRAISER BLITZ
Since April 28 -- the very first day Hillary Clinton hosted a fundraiser -- Clinton has been on a non-stop, cross-country, fundraising blitz.
In the nine weeks ahead of today’s filing deadline, she has attended roughly 50 fundraisers in nearly 20 states and Washington, DC.
Attendees of the fundraisers, which were hosted by “Hillstarters,” people who raised $27,000 or more -- typically each donated $2,700, the maximum contribution the campaign allows per person.
CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS
From the Olsen Twins to Beyonce, Clinton also had the advantage of getting some early, big name endorsements.
In just the past two days alone, Jon Bon Jovi, Olivia Wilde, Uzo Aduba, Jason Sudeikis and Zach Braff all made appearances at fundraisers on her behalf.
Other celebrities who have offered their public support for Clinton since her launch include Michelle Kwan, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Tobey Maguire, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey and Lena Dunham, to name a few.
QUIRKY CAMPAIGN SWAG
Instead of just offering typical campaign bumper stickers, buttons and mugs, the “Hillary for America” store has been offering much more enticing memorabilia.
Some of the most hard-to-resist items include the “Pantsuit Tee,” “Chillary Clinton” koozies, “H” flash tattoos, and a “Grillary Clinton” apron.
Fashionable? Not so much. But if the goal was to attract attention and generate buzz, then call it a success.
GRASSROOTS SUPPORT
Clinton is taking a page from Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns and looking to make headway with small dollar donations.
Over the past few weeks, her campaign feverishly emailed supporters asking them for even just $1 or $5 donations. And the campaign launched contests -- including an opportunity to have dinner with Clinton and a chance to travel to New York to attend her official launch -- in an attempt to increase the grassroots support.
In an email to supporters today, Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook said he plans to continue “building a campaign with the broadest possible base of support, driven by people chipping in what they can.”
According to the campaign, 91 percent of the donations made in Clinton’s first three months as a candidate were small dollar donations of $100 or less.
