How Campaign Finances Can and Can’t Sway the Presidential Election

By Sterling Davies | Special To The OBSERVERAs the presidential election turns the corner into the final days, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are working towards clinching any undecided voters and drawing as many of their supporters to the polls on election day, November 5. To do this, both candidates will rely on donations and finances to fuel their campaigns, especially in the final stretch.& Entering October, Harris and her affiliated committees have raised over $1 billion since she entered the race at the end of July, becoming the fastest candidate to hit the ten-figure mark, according to a New York Times report. Before Harris stepped in for Biden, both campaigns were roughly equal in funds raised ($284.1 million raised for Biden and $217.2 million raised for Trump at the end of June, according to Forbes), but Harris has shaken up this competition, especially in recent months. In September alone, the Harris campaign raised $221.8 million out of a total of $900 million, which tripled the $62.7 million raised by Trump’s campaign out of $371.9 million. September also saw Harris raise $47 million in the 24 hours following the presidential debate, her largest amount raised in a single day...