Sen. Kamala pressed former Vice President Joe Biden on his alliances with segregationists and his opposition to busing for desegregation during the Democratic debate. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images 2020 elections Kamala Harris raises $2 million in 24 hours after debate

Sen. Kamala Harris raised $2 million in 24 hours after her first presidential debate, her biggest fundraising day of the campaign, her campaign said Saturday.

Donations flowed to Harris from 63,277 people, nearly 60 percent of which were first-time donors. The average donation was $30. Her previous largest day was $1.5 million after launching.


By comparison, former HUD secretary Julián Castro had roughly 16,000 new donors and Sen. Cory Booker had almost 4,000 new donors after their Wednesday debate, their campaigns said Friday.

Harris’ haul comes in the final days of the second fundraising quarter. She also is holding five fundraisers over the weekend in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The California Democrat has invested significantly in her digital infrastructure since rising to the Senate, in large part to diversify her fundraising base but also to capitalize on sudden, viral moments.

Harris’ debate performance in Miami was considered the strongest of both nights. In her memorable exchange with Joe Biden, she pressed the former vice president on his alliances with segregationists and his opposition to busing for desegregation. Castro and Booker also raised their national profiles with high-energy performances.

Within moments of the debate ending, Harris’ campaign was selling T-shirts with a picture of her as a girl in Berkeley, Calif., and the phrase she used in the debate to personalize her own journey attending the second class in her school to integrate.

“That little girl was me,” she said.