- According to a report from NBC News, a staff memo from the Cory Booker campaign says they need $1.7 million by Sept. 30 or the campaign is kaput.
- Booker is No. 8 in national polls, below entrepreneur Andrew Yang, mayor Pete Buttigieg, and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke.
- He's attracted $9.5 million in individual contributions.
- Throughout Saturday, following the report, Booker's campaign has made a full-court press emphasizing the number and asking for support.
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Sen. Cory Booker needs $1.7 million by Sept. 30.
If he doesn't get it, he's likely going to be out of the 2020 presidential campaign, according to a staff memo obtained by NBC News' Alex Seitz-Wald.
"Without a fundraising surge to close out this quarter, we do not see a legitimate long-term path forward," campaign manager Addisu Demissie wrote in the memo. "The next 10 days will determine whether Cory Booker can stay in this race."
Booker is No. 8 in national polls, below entrepreneur Andrew Yang, mayor Pete Buttigieg, and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke. Booker is presently polling at 2%.
Polls in early voting states reflect that voters are split among former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sen. Kamala Harris and Buttigieg claim high single-digit percentages, while the other 14 candidates haven't cracked 2% in Iowa or New Hampshire.
Per month on average, Booker attracted $1.5 million in campaign contributions from April to June this, according to Federal Election Commission data. So, getting a full $1.7 million in just ten days would be ostensibly tricky for the New Jersey senator.
The staff memo warned that many other promising candidates are likely to drop out of the race in coming weeks. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio exited the race this week.
"Booker might not be in this race for much longer - the same is true for other important voices in the field," Demissie wrote.
The memo preceded what would become a full-court press of publicity from Booker's team emphasizing the number and their need for donations.
On Twitter, Booker insisted it wasn't a stunt.
Read the full NBC News story here.
It's an unusual move for a campaign like ours to be this transparent, but there can be no courage without vulnerability. I want people to see where we are and understand that we have a pathway to victory, but I can't walk it alone. https://t.co/akjhAxjVey
- Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 21, 2019