During the debate alone, 36,000 people donated to the campaign at a rate of 3.2 contributions per second, according to the Washington Times.
From Jan. 12 to 15, according to Sanders’ communications director, he raised $3.1 million, largely from online donations. Sanders has continually touted his grassroots efforts throughout the campaign and during debates, having elicited smaller donations from individuals rather than corporations.
In Sunday’s debate, when the candidates were asked about their differences regarding the financial sector, Sanders responded, “The first difference is I don’t take money from big banks,” a shot at his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has seen her front-running status challenged in recent polls from Iowa, the first state to vote. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, the lowest-polling Democratic candidate, added that Clinton has a “cozy” relationship with Wall Street.
Clinton defended herself and President Obama, who had also taken Wall Street campaign contributions. She referred to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, signed into law by Obama, which aims to prevent the excessive lending risks that led to the 2008 recession.
But Sanders retaliated further, saying, “Can you really reform Wall Street when they are spending millions and millions of dollars on campaign contributions?”
The issue of Wall Street and corporate dollars may be the one that slides favor in Sanders direction. He appears to believe so, running a Wall Street regulation ad last week that indirectly tried to distinguish himself from Clinton.
The first two states to vote, Iowa and New Hampshire, will hold their respective caucus and primary votes Feb. 1 and Feb. 9.
