US Vice President Kamala Harris has achieved a record fundraising milestone following Joe Biden's exit from the presidential race and endorsement of her candidacy, her campaign reported on Monday.

“Team Harris raised $81 million in its first 24 hours, adding to the nearly quarter-billion dollars already amassed this election cycle,” the campaign said in a statement.

This amount represents the "largest 24-hour raise in presidential history," according to the statement. The funds include contributions from her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees. Over 888,000 grassroots donors contributed on her first day.

Harris, 59, quickly secured support from numerous Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, both seen as potential presidential contenders.

However, she still needs to win over some key figures and donors who want an open contest for the Democratic nomination against Republican challenger Donald Trump.

Despite the challenge, her campaign has successfully re-energized donors, marking a turnaround from the uncertainty following Biden's poor debate performance against Trump, which had led to a temporary halt in major fundraising.

On Monday, it was also reported that the Democratic super political action committee (PAC) Future Forward had secured $150 million in new donor commitments within 24 hours of Biden’s withdrawal, according to a senior aide. The PAC had about $122 million in cash as of the end of June, based on Federal Election Commission filings.

Source: AFP