Before any well-known Democrats even began their White House bids, President Trump’s re-election team had spent more than $83 million on rallies, fundraising and other expenses associated with the thick of a heated race.
Mr. Trump set up his 2020 operation as he moved into the White House, the earliest start of any president in modern history. His three political committees raised more than $127 million between January 2017 and the end of last year, mostly from small donors, according to Federal Election Commission reports. But the PACs aren’t waiting for the general election to start spending, a Wall Street Journal analysis of FEC reports found.
By the end of Monday, 16 Democratic presidential candidates must file FEC reports on their first-quarter fundraising and spending. About half have already announced top-line numbers, led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who reported raising $18.2 million. Mr. Trump’s campaign and two related PACs called Trump Victory and Trump Make America Great Again, which also benefit the Republican Party, must also file first-quarter reports.