Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang raised $10 million over the last quarter, easily surpassing the $2.8 million he raised in the previous quarter, his campaign announced Wednesday.The entrepreneur’s crowdfunding efforts, centered around his so-called Freedom Dividend, a universal basic income plan, matched recent rising poll numbers and outpaced both Senator Cory Booker’s (D., N.J.) $6 million and Senator Michael Bennett’s (D., Colo.) $2.1 million for the same period.The campaign reported that 99 percent of donations were under $200. To date, Yang has over 300,000 unique donors.“This grassroots fundraising total, with $6m+ in the bank, ensures this campaign will have the funding to compete and outperform expectations through Super Tuesday and beyond,” Yang campaign manager Zach Graumann told CNN.During the September Democratic debate, Yang made headlines when he announced a $120,000 giveaway to random families in an effort to promote his universal basic income proposal, which will offer $1,000 a month to every adult American in an effort to cushion job upheaval from increasing automation. In the three days after the debate, the stunt drew 450,000 entries and sparked $1 million in donations, the campaign told Politico.Yang’s numbers also showed $2.4 million raised from merchandise purchases, as the candidates supporters, affectionately dubbed “Yang Gang,” have swelled in numbers over recent weeks. Over the last ten days of the quarter, the campaign raised $2.3 million more than Booker raised in the same period.Yang celebrated the significant fundraising haul on Twitter.“Other campaigns are plateauing or contracting while we are growing quickly. The excitement rises every day,” he said. “Our rate of growth makes all things possible – including our winning the general election next year.”
