Beto O’Rourke raises $25 million from July through late September

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Democratic gubernatorial challenger Beto O’Rourke raised over $25 million from July through late September, another massive amount that came at a faster pace than his previous, record-breaking haul, according to his campaign.

The $25.18 million haul came from almost half a million contributions from July 1 to Sept. 29. His campaign announced the figures Tuesday morning ahead of an end-of-day deadline to report them to the Texas Ethics Commission.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has not released his latest fundraising numbers yet. O’Rourke outraised Abbott during the last reporting period, collecting $27.6 million to Abbott’s $24.9 million from late February through June.

O’Rourke’s campaign did not release his latest cash-on-hand figure. At the end of the last reporting period, Abbott had a nearly 2-to-1 advantage over O’Rourke when it came to his campaign balance, $45.7 million to $23.9 million.

Polls continue to give Abbott a lead over O’Rourke in the mid-single digits. But O’Rourke is betting on voter anger over the state’s new abortion ban and Abbott’s inaction on gun control after the Uvalde school shooting. He is also hopeful a superior ground game will make the difference.

“I’m grateful for everyone who helped raise $25.18 million in just three months as we support the work of our organizers and record-breaking 100,000 volunteers,” O’Rourke said in a statement.

The $27.6 million that O’Rourke raised in the prior period was a new record for fundraising in state-level politics. His campaign said Tuesday he “raised more per day in this TEC period than it did in the last fundraising period.”

O’Rourke’s average contribution size was $53 during the latest period, according to his campaign. Nearly all of his 474,876 donations — 98% — were received online.

With less than a month to the election, both campaigns are in heavy spending mode, dumping millions of dollars on TV ads statewide. O’Rourke’s latest ad is about his promise to expand Medicaid and features a trauma surgeon lamenting the state of health care in Texas under Abbott.

O’Rourke is also getting help on the air from Coulda Been Worse LLC, a dark-money group that has aired commercials attacking Abbott, as well as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton. O’Rourke has said the group should disclose its donors.