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Some candidates are looking to capitalize off the attention from the first GOP debate this week, including filling their campaign coffers.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign said it raised more than $1 million in the first 24 hours since the debate, according to ABC News.
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign raised $450,000 the night of the debate, NBC News' Dasha Burns reports. That’s about 14% of Ramaswamy’s total fundraising haul so far as of June 30, per campaign finance reports (not including the millions Ramaswamy has donated to his own campaign). And on Thursday, the Ramaswamy campaign brought in an additional $625,000 with an average donation of $40, per Burns.
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley’s campaign was also scrambling to capitalize on the attention, and her campaign “raised more online in the last 24 hours than on any day since the campaign started,” the Washington Post reports, citing a Haley adviser.
Potential Republican primary and caucusgoers who watched the debate said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Ramaswamy and Haley had the best performances Wednesday night, according to a new Washington Post/FiveThirtyEight/Ipsos poll. And the survey found Haley improved her standing the most among those voters.
In other campaign news…
Trump in the spotlight: Trump’s arrest on Thursday and his subsequent mugshot stole the spotlight from the rest of the GOP field after the debate, per NBC News’ Amanda Terkel. And the mugshot also became a GOP fundraising tool, NBC News’ Katherine Doyle reports.
Split screen: As Trump was being booked in Georgia, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Iowa visiting the baseball field from the “Field of Dreams” film. Asked about the split screen between himself and Trump, DeSantis said simply, “Well, I’m glad I’m at the Field of Dreams. Happy to be here,” per NBC News’ Alex Tabet.
Abortion on the airwaves: President Joe Biden’s campaign is launching a new TV adhighlighting GOP candidates’ views on abortion, per NBC News’ Megan Lebowitz.
Speaking of abortion: RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Fox News that she was glad abortion was discussed during the GOP debate, noting, “If our candidates aren’t able to find a response and put out a response, we’re not going to win.”
What Hurd heard: Former Texas GOP Rep. Will Hurd didn’t qualify for the first debate, buthe still watched it with a writer from Politico Magazine.
Sheehy on the air: Republican Tim Sheehy, who is running for Senate in Montana, launched a minute-long TV ad on Friday, touting his background as a Navy SEAL and businessman. His campaign spent $89,000 on a broadcast and cable buy over the next week.
