ELECTION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump has raised more than $88 million for his re-election campaign over the last year and a half, giving him a dramatic head start on prospective Democratic challengers in the 2020 race. Mr. Trump’s campaign committee, combined with two joint committees formed with the Republican Party, ended last month with nearly $53.6 million in the bank — almost $10 million more than their previous largest balance — according to finance reports filed Sunday evening with the Federal Election Commission. The totals reflect a brisk and continued fund-raising effort by Mr. Trump’s campaign operation that, in a departure from usual presidential practice, started even before he took office. Most new presidents shift their political operations to their national party committee until launching their re-election campaign after the first midterm election of their tenure. Mr. Trump’s campaign and the two joint committees — Trump Victory and Trump Make America Great Again — have continued spending aggressively to cultivate donors through both online list-building targeting small donors and fund-raising events for big donors.”
–Kenneth P. Vogel and Rachel Shorey, “$88 Million and Counting: Trump Amasses Huge Head Start for 2020 Campaign, “The New York Times online July, 15, 2018