But even taking the presidential candidates out of the equation, Democrats saw a big fundraising jump via ActBlue last quarter — a huge boon to Democratic Senate challengers and House incumbents, after predictions that the presidential campaign would siphon away the online money that powered so many Democratic victors in the 2018 midterm elections.

“Obviously the presidential primary was a huge factor in the first quarter, but we also saw an increase in House contributions of 50 percent over the same period in 2018 and a 100 percent increase for Senate races" over the first three months of 2018, said Erin Hill, ActBlue’s executive director, in an interview.

Donations through ActBlue accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total money raised by Democrats in House races, Hill said.

“What’s been really encouraging for us is the strength of the grassroots, small-dollar power on the left,” Hill continued. “It’s still growing, and the resiliency — donors are coming out and continuing to give. It’s not just the presidential race.”

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Hill said that ActBlue didn’t see “an appreciable dropoff” in engagement with fundraising appeals when the coronavirus pandemic forced a large-scale economic shutdown in March. But she did see “candidates sending fewer emails, in particular incumbents — they were serving more as information distribution centers for their constituencies.”

Campaigns, including Sanders’ presidential effort, have also used ActBlue to raise money for charities working on coronavirus relief. The platform served as a conduit for nearly $13 million donated to such groups, ActBlue announced.

Hill said it’s unclear exactly how the coronavirus and the resulting economic chaos will affect small donors in the upcoming months, but she noted that small donors have long had to weigh their financial fortunes when giving to candidates and causes.

“With small-dollar donors, they’ve always been doing the calculus in their heads about whether to make the contribution, it’s always been a sacrifice,” Hill said. “Now it’s the same calculation, but some folks will not be in the same place. But some others are more active and more seeking change even than before.”