Bernie Sanders scores $1.3 million post-debate haul

LAS VEGAS — Sen. Bernard Sanders raked in more than $1.3 million in contributions in the first four hours after his performance in the first Democratic presidential debate, according to the campaign.

The haul that the Sanders campaign described as a “fundraising bonanza” followed a debate at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino in which Mr. Sanders managed to hold his own sparing with veteran debater Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the nomination.

After the debate, more than 37,600 individual contributions poured into the Sanders campaign website. The average donation during that four-hour stretch was $34.58, the campaign said.

There was about $100,000 in contributions during the first five minutes after the debate ended. At the peak, there were 10.25 contributions per second, the campaign said.

In the debate, Mrs. Clinton jabbed Mr. Sanders from the right on his socialist views and from the left on his past opposition to gun-control laws.

But Mr. Sanders fought back, challenging Mrs. Clinton about reining in the financial industry and breaking up Wall Street’s big banks, an issue dear to the the party’s liberal wing.

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In one of the standout moments of the debate, Mr. Sanders gave Mrs. Clinton a pass on the email scandal dogging her campaign.

“The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails,” he said to cheers from the crowd at the debate, which was hosted by CNN and Facebook.