[B]y remaining a presidential candidate even after Hillary Clinton secured enough delegates for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders has been able to raise millions more dollars for his campaign.
A “contribute” button still pops up on the Vermont senator’s campaign home page, with the broad statement “Your contribution will benefit Bernie Sanders.”
Sanders’ most recent FEC financial report shows more than $9.2 million on hand. And that number could still grow, because the Federal Election Commission says a presidential hopeful may continue to raise money after primary voting ends as long as the candidate doesn’t officially withdraw.
Candidates who haven’t bowed out are prohibited from fundraising after the party officially nominates someone else at the national convention. The Democratic convention will be in late July.
The Sanders campaign also could make money by selling its donor list to the Democratic Party or to Clinton’s campaign. Such as asset typically goes for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When the Sanders campaign officially ends, remaining money can be used very narrowly for campaign expenses, including paying off debts, moving out of offices and final staff payments. Sanders does not have any outstanding debts, according to FEC reports.
The money may also be used to purchase gifts or make donations of “nominal value” to non-family members.
Most likely, much of the Vermont senator’s residual campaign money will be directed toward other candidates and causes.
FEC rules state that leftover money from a campaign committee may be directed to a party committee’s bank account or to specific candidate committees on the local, state and national levels.
Sanders has already begun funneling cash to other candidates, including $60,000 directed locally to Burlington Rep. Chris Pearson’s Senate race.
Sanders could also start a political action committee after he is officially out, rolling over his campaign cash into a committee in the same mold as Howard Dean, who launched Democracy for America in 2004, one month after bowing out of the presidential race.
Sanders officials did not return multiple calls seeking comment about the future of his campaign funds.
But in the last fundraising email — sent June 30 — campaign manager Jeff Weaver asked for donations in order to show “we have the momentum and the power to continue the incredible work of our political revolution.”
The June 30 plea for donations also said some money would be put toward travel expenses to the national convention for the 1,900 Sanders delegates.
FEC regulations allow candidate committees to make unlimited contributions to delegates, meaning some could receive thousands of dollars to cover convention costs.
Any donations from Sanders’ campaign must be to further a delegate’s participation in the convention, though, and donations can’t be converted for the “personal use” of a delegate.
Sanders’ leverage as a candidate appears to have moved Clinton farther left on a number of issues, including her recently updated college plan.
He is now expected to endorse her next week in New Hampshire. But even if he does, his fundraising could continue as long as he doesn’t officially drop out.
