Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) presidential campaign announced he raised $6.1 million in the second quarter.
Scott also boasted $21 million in cash on hand as he seeks the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
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The stakes are high, as candidates need to have 40,000 donors, with at least 200 of them coming from 20 different states, to qualify for the first Republican debate in August.
Eligible candidates must also reach a 1% threshold in three national polls or a combination of national and early state surveys.
“We can also proudly confirm Tim will be on the debate stage for months to come thanks to over 75,000 donations from over 53,000 unique donors across all 50 states,” Scott campaign manager Jennifer DeCasper wrote in a memo about the fundraising numbers.
There are about a dozen major candidates who have announced for or are exploring bids for the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden next year.
But former President Donald Trump has dominated in the polling, followed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who raised $20 million in the second quarter. Trump reported hauling in $35 million between his campaign and PAC.
Fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley raised $7 million amid expectations that the former governor and U.N. ambassador may compete with Scott for Palmetto State donors.
Scott is counting on the debates to help him present himself as a compelling and optimistic alternative to Trump, as big money Republican donors are reportedly grumbling about their options.
“When voters see everyone from President Obama to President Biden, and even the ladies of The View attack Tim Scott, they know it isn’t an accident,” DeCasper wrote. “Tim Scott is the candidate the radical Left fears most.”
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A new Economist poll found Scott and Haley tied at 3% nationally, trailing Trump at 48%, DeSantis at 22%, and former Vice President Mike Pence at 5%.
Scott has been actively campaigning in the critical early states since announcing his candidacy.