Jagmeet Singh leads in NDP leadership fundraising but momentum slowing
New filings with Elections Canada show the Ontario MPP has raised over $600K in his bid to head NDP
NDP leadership candidate Jagmeet Singh has raised more money than his rivals through the summer, according to new fundraising data published on Monday.
According to the Ontario MPP's interim campaign return, which includes donations received by the candidate up to Sept. 14, Singh has raised $618,779.62 since his entry into the race, more than either Ontario MP Charlie Angus or Manitoba MP Niki Ashton.
Singh's fundraising was drawn from 6,204 contributions. After removing duplicates, this totals about 5,475 unique contributors.
Angus has raised $374,146.88 from 4,526 contributions (or about 3,460 individuals), though his filing runs up to donations received by Sept. 7.
Ashton, whose filing includes donations received by Sept. 14, has raised $250,937.11 from 4,125 contributions, or about 3,160 unique contributors.
According to a filing published on Elections Canada's website Tuesday Quebec MP Guy Caron raised $188,541.50 up to Sept. 14.
The previous filings with Elections Canada showed donations received in the second quarter of 2017, and indicated Singh had raised more money than all his rivals combined in that three month period ended June 30. Since then, however, Singh has raised about $262,000, compared to $140,000 for Angus and $126,000 for Ashton, suggesting his momentum might have tailed off.
He still raised the most money over the summer, but not more than the rest of his opponents combined.
Singh raised about $454,000, or about 73 per cent, of his fundraising in Ontario alone. More than two-thirds of that came from the Greater Toronto Area, where Singh holds a seat in the Ontario Legislature.
Fundraising for Angus was similarly concentrated in his home province. He raised just under 75 per cent of his donations from Ontario, though it was dispersed more evenly across the province.
The results of the first round of voting for the NDP leadership will be announced on Oct. 1 in Toronto. If none of the four candidates in the running gets a majority of ballots cast, the candidate finishing last will be eliminated and a new weeklong round of voting will begin.
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