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Even before Democrats broke 24-hour fundraising records this week, former federal prosecutor Will Rollins closed the second quarter by raising $2.2 million – outraising Ken Calvert for the fourth quarter in a row and establishing a more than $1 million cash-on-hand advantage over the 32-year incumbent. Rollins now boasts more than $4.7 million cash on hand with just over three months left until Election Day, and has raised a total of $7 million so far this cycle.
Rollins is “one of the highest fundraisers in the country” and has seen a surge of grassroots support throughout his campaign, with “more than 29,000 total contributions, 95% of which were $100 or less” in the second quarter of 2024 alone. His continued momentum demonstrates his ability to connect with voters on the issues that matter most, from crime and safety to protecting reproductive freedom and rooting out corruption in politics.
DCCC Spokesperson Dan Gottlieb:
“Ken Calvert’s 30 years of corruption and extremism are coming to an end. The Inland Empire has made it clear: voters are ready for leadership in the halls of Congress that will serve the people, not themselves – and Will Rollins is on track to do just that.”
Read more below.
Washington Blade: Will Rollins raises $2.2+ million in Q2
Christopher Kane
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Will Rollins, the gay Democrat vying for anti-LGBTQ U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert’s (R-Calif.) seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, raised more than $2.2 million in the second quarter, the Washington Blade has learned.
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The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee believes California’s 41st Congressional District is likely to flip from red to blue, and therefore has made additional investments in Rollins’s campaign as he seeks to unseat a GOP member who has served since 1993.
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“Flipping the 41st District is critical for a host of reasons: installing new leadership that prioritizes working families over special interests, defending and restoring into law a woman’s fundamental right to choose, protecting our fragile democracy, mitigating the effects of climate change and creating local green energy jobs that will protect our planet, and so much more,” Rollins told the Blade in an emailed statement.
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“But, it’s also a history-making opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community,” he said. “If elected, I’d have the honor of being the first openly LBGTQ+ Member of Congress to represent Palm Springs and the first openly LGBTQ+ Member of Congress from a law enforcement background.”
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Rollins continued, “I think that this representation and visibility resonates with a lot of grassroots supporters who see our current congressman for who he is: a staunch opponent of our community. Calvert’s record speaks for itself, including voting against the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill and just last year voting to strip funding for basic services for LGBTQ+ community centers, including meals for seniors. It’s abhorrent.”
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“As a result, we’ve been fortunate to have an outpouring of support from the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those locally in Riverside County,” Rollins said. “And it’s just one of a host of reasons why our campaign’s fundraising has been so strong — I’m very thankful for the support and look forward to finishing the job this November.”
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