Jay Inslee, 2020 Democrat, raises $2 million in first quarter

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee raised more than $2.25 million in the month since announcing his presidential run, his campaign announced Monday.

His seven-figure total for the first quarter provided a bright spot for Mr. Inslee, who is running on an agenda singularly focused on climate change and who barely registers in the polls.

“This first-month fundraising shows strong grassroots momentum for Gov. Inslee’s message of defeating climate change,” said Inslee campaign manager Aisling Kerins. “We will continue to build momentum, as voters look for a candidate who will prioritize climate change and who has the executive experience to defeat Trump and advance a progressive agenda in the White House.”

Though the haul is on the low end in a crowded field, the Inslee campaign noted that his daily fundraising average outpaced some of his rivals.

The campaign pointed to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who took in $3 million in more than two months; Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who got $6 million in three months; and former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, who collected $1.1 million in three months.

The top-tier candidates boast much bigger hauls. Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont got $18.2 million, Sen. Kamala Harris of California took in $12 million, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke got $9.4 million and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg raised $7 million.

The candidates’ fundraising totals were announced by their campaigns prior to filing reports with the Federal Elections Commission. The first-quarter reports are due by midnight Monday.