Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE outraised rival Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE in January.



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Clinton on Thursday announced a January fundraising total of $15 million, short of Sanders's $20 million during that period.Despite that, the Clinton campaign touted the number as a sign of her widespread appeal."We invested early in organizing and that investment has already paid off with a Hillary Clinton victory in Iowa," Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement."Now, thanks to the support of more than 670,000 people across the country, we have the resources we need to take the fight to to New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and beyond. We are also continuing to work on the important goal of strengthening the Democratic Party to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot in November."

The Clinton campaign also used Sanders's January lead as part of a fundraising pitch, hoping to motivate supporters.

"If you've believed that Hillary Clinton is going to win this election because other people are going to step up and take care of it, this should be a very loud wake-up call," campaign finance director Dennis Cheng wrote in an email to supporters Thursday.

"There's no cavalry coming — it's just people like you who are going to decide whether or not to step up to elect the first woman president our country has ever had."

The two campaigns have both seen success while relying on very different fundraising strategies. Sanders has raised the bulk of his funds through small-dollar donations of $200 or less. He often boasts that the average donation is just $27.

Clinton's operation, on the other hand, has been driven by donors who contribute the max amount of $2,700 per cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog.

The latest figure brings the total Clinton fundraising haul to over $130 million in the race. Added to that, a super-PAC, Priorities USA, raised over $41 million on her behalf in 2015.

Despite lagging behind Sanders for the month of January, Clinton has by far the most successful fundraising operation of any 2016 presidential campaign.



Of all the candidates, Sanders comes closest with $105 million.

- Updated at 4:43 p.m.