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Black Americans donated nearly $41 million last year to Democratic presidential candidates, with Bernie Sanders topping the list, according to a new report.

The total amount donated was nearly 13 percent of what all candidates collected through an online donor platform handling most donations made to Democrats.

The study, conducted by Plus Three, a minority-owned technology and fundraising firm, points to an electorate giving to presidential candidates at a level almost equal to their proportion of the American population and shows that those donations don't necessarily correlate with how those same donors have voted in the primary season.

Described as a first of its kind tally of black political contributions, the report shines a light on a party and presidential candidates dependent on black voters, open to their donations but deficient in diversity when it comes to influencing campaign strategy, policy priorities or spending decisions.

The disparity in black donations, and in overall fundraising, between Sanders and Biden was highlighted in Sunday night's presidential debate, when Sanders at least twice drew attention to an outside group spending large sums to run attack ads against him and in support of Biden. Biden, in turn, insisted that he, the front-runner for the nomination, really has not raised that much.

Plus Three researchers examined more than 1.94 million donations from black donors and found that the average amount given to presidential candidates was $21.03. Latinos contributed almost $23.7 million to Democratic presidential candidates last year, often in small-dollar amounts averaging $15.75, according to an earlier Plus Three analysis.

The newreport commissioned by the Collective PAC, an organization working to boost the number of black officeholders examined more than 13 million donor records from Actblue, an online donations platform that, in recent election cycles, collected about 95 percent of all donations made to Democratic candidates. But unlike individual campaigns, which are only required to report donations of $200 or more to the Federal Election Commission, ActBlue captures details about those giving as little as a dollar.

To pinpoint the nearly 2 million donations likely made by black donors, Plus Three tallied only contributions coming from people with the 162,255 most common surnames used by black people in the United States, according to U.S. census data. Then the study's authors culled this group down to those who also live in a ZIP code where census data indicates 20 percent or more of all residents are black. This method is similar to the way that advertisers target customers, campaigns target voters and regulators have attempted to monitor fairness in lending.

When it comes to presidential candidate fundraising, Sanders whose campaign looks to be in trouble after sweeping loses in Tuesday's primaries has proven to be the most effective of all the Democratic candidates, raising $132.56 million from all donors on ActBlue by the end of 2019. Biden in comparison raised just $68.28 million. That pattern has continued through 2020 fundraising.

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Among black donors, Sanders raised $10.5 million, almost $4 million more than Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Pete Buttigieg collected $6.07 million, while Biden's $3.65 million put him in fourth place. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, at $2.99 million, was in fifth with black donors, followed in ninth by Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, with $1.24 million.

"Sanders performed better with Latino and African American donors because of the sheer scale of his base of fundraising," Juan M. Proao, Plus Three CEO and co-founder, who conducted the study, said. "Biden will begin to do better now that he is the front-runner and his fundraising numbers should increase accordingly. However, Biden still has a major fundraising problem because he does not have the team or the email list needed to capitalize on this sudden success."

In 2019, Sanders raised 14.77 percent of his donations from black donors on ActBlue. Biden collected 13.29 percent of his donations from black donors using the platform.

"At the presidential level those not immediately in love with a candidate will take a wait-and-see approach, especially in 2019 when there were 20-plus candidates," said Marvin King, an associate professor of political science at Mississippi State University, who researches political donations and their impact.

"The same happened really in 2008. The polling with black voters and the donations from black donors shot up for Obama after Iowa," King said. "They were like, we will get on your train but show me something first."

Black candidates often experience fundraising difficulties due to vast differences in the average income between white and black households, King said.

Case in point: Mississippi. There, 40 percent of all residents and about 66 percent of all Democratic voters are black. Black candidates have seen some success at the local level but no black elected official has held a statewide office since 1890. In 2019, Republicans controlled the Mississippi House, state Senate and governor's offices, both U.S. Senate seats and all but one of the state's four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

That is one reason that Quentin James helped found the Collective PAC in 2016. James, the group's president, wanted to find a way to pool resources and elect black, progressive candidates, including those running in red states.

"Cory and Kamala said that it was money that was the biggest problem for their campaigns," James said. "We commissioned this study because we wanted to see where is black money going in this cycle and also continue to evaluate how it is being used."

In the 2018 election cycle, the more than 200,000 black donors on Collective PAC's contact list funneled $7.5 million into campaigns and elected 55 candidates across the country.

The study's findings call into question the investments that political candidates and parties routinely make in pursuit of black voters, James said. Together, black and Latino donors contributed about $100 million to Democratic candidates up and down the ticket.

Studies released by the political organization Power Pac Plus found that in 2012 and 2016, the Democratic Party's three major election arms spent 98 percent of their campaign dollars with white-owned companies.

"People of color are giving substantially despite the systematic challenges around wealth and well being in this country," James said. "We are still not seeing or hearing enough from the candidates and their campaigns from a policy perspective or a spending and investing perspective."

Campaigns continue to invest large amounts in television and other ads, which also funnel money into almost all white-owned firms. And they tend to spend comparatively little with the get-out-the-vote operations and other types of political businesses owned by black and Latino consultants with proven expertise, said Proao, who has worked on four Democratic presidential campaigns.

That might have closed the gap in a recent spate of narrow races, he said, . He pointed to several races, including in 2018, when Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, lost the Georgia governor's race by 1.4 points (some, Including Abrams, insist voter suppression was a significant factor); and then-Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat, lost a Senate race in Texas by 2.6 points.

What campaigns continue to do as they fundraise, James said, is think in terms of a short and fairly static list of black billionaires and business owners.

"The immediate thing, to this day is, let's call Oprah and Tyler," he said, referring to Tyler Perry, the movie mogul, "not the grassroots person who can give $5 a month. There's a lot more out there to be tapped."

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Black donors gave $41M to 2020 Democrats last year, with Sanders topping the list - NBC News

WASHINGTON In an election marked by low turnout and lack of basic voting supplies because of coronavirus concerns, Marie Newman, a progressive, pro-abortion rights challenger to incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski has won the Democratic primary in Illinoiss 3rd Congressional District.

Its a major victory for the progressive movement, and an especially welcome one after a disappointing loss in Texas earlier this month, where Jessica Cisneros fell short in her primary challenge against incumbent Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, another anti-abortion moderate Democrat.

Decision Desk HQ called the race for Newman Tuesday night just after 10 p.m.; she led Lipinski, 47% to 44%, with 68% of precincts reporting.

Last week, ahead of the election, Illinois officials told BuzzFeed News they planned to go forward with voting without any adjustments or changes.

Later, they joined with officials from Arizona, Ohio, and Florida all of which had primaries scheduled for Tuesday to release a statement saying that they were working closely with our state health officials to ensure that our poll workers and voters can be confident that voting is safe.

"Unlike concerts, sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration," the release said. (Ohios governor later decided to close the polls Tuesday due to the coronavirus.)

But voting Tuesday in Illinois was nothing short of disastrous. Voters and poll workers in the state told BuzzFeed News that many polling places didnt have any hand sanitizer, or that if they did, it was only because poll workers brought bottles in themselves.

One worker said she had to turn away dozens of people because she hadnt received voting supplies from the state, and another voter, Matt Lindner, reported having been turned away when he went to vote.

A functioning democracy should not have this, Lindner said.

Both Newman and Lipinski urged supporters to head to the polls, and stay in line if they faced issues voting, on Twitter Tuesday.

Newman ran in 2018 as well and lost by just two points. This cycle, she was backed by Planned Parenthood, NARAL, Emilys List, and Justice Democrats, the progressive group that helped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat former Rep. Joe Crowley in 2018. Newman also secured endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez herself.

Lipinski is one of the most conservative Democrats left in the House and is known nationally for his staunch anti-abortion beliefs. He has a failing grade of just 25% from Planned Parenthood and, in January, signed on to an amicus brief pushing the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Newmans campaign was buoyed by the swath of anti-abortion legislation signed into law in states across the country last summer that led to protests nationwide and donations to her campaign. In an interview with BuzzFeed News last May, she called Lipinski anti-worker, anti-woman, and antimiddle class.

He is no better than many of the Republicans out there, she said. He is so one-issue focused [on anti-abortion issues], it affects all of his decision-making. Hes preoccupied night and day by it.

Lipinski was supported by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the partys official House campaign arm. The DCCC also blacklisted all organizations working with primary challengers last year, which Newman said resulted in her campaign losing several consultants.

The race became the subject of national attention last spring as well, when Rep. Cheri Bustos, the head of the DCCC, scheduled and then canceled a fundraiser for Lipsinki after activist outcry. Every dollar spent trying to defeat one of our Democratic incumbents is a dollar that we cannot spend defeating Republicans, Bustos said in a statement when she canceled the event.

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A Progressive Challenger Has Beaten One Of The Last Anti-Abortion Democrats In Congress - BuzzFeed News

Many political analysts may have assumed that the sun was setting fast on Joe BidenJoe BidenThe Memo: Trump tests limits of fiery attacks during crisis Sanders when asked about timeframe for 2020 decision: 'I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis' Biden holds sizable lead in new Hill/HarrisX 2020 poll MOREs presidential aspirations following a series of well-publicized gaffes and doddering speeches. But with large victories on Super Tuesday, subsequent endorsements from a raft of his former adversaries and more wins last week, including in Michigan, suddenly Biden appears poised to soon become the anointed Democratic candidate to challenge President TrumpDonald John TrumpDe Blasio calls on Trump to deploy military to set up hospitals in New York Hillicon Valley: Facebook launches portal for coronavirus information | EU sees spike in Russian misinformation on outbreak | Senate Dem bill would encourage mail-in voting | Lawmakers question safety of Google virus website Trump signs coronavirus aid package with paid sick leave, free testing MORE.

It is interesting to note that House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) campaigned hard for Biden and mustered the support that seemingly has set him up to clinch the nomination. Clyburn may have helped turn out the black vote in the Palmetto State, but if Democrats bank on their usual reliance on black voters to carry them across the finish line in the 2020 general election, the strategy very well could end in embarrassment.

It is, of course, ironic that the black vote is potentially a key deciding factor. The Democrats love to boast about the diversity within their ranks, but the two candidates left standing are two old white men. The question to be determined in the coming days is whether the nomination could go to the self-professed democratic socialist senator, Bernie SandersBernie SandersHillicon Valley: Facebook launches portal for coronavirus information | EU sees spike in Russian misinformation on outbreak | Senate Dem bill would encourage mail-in voting | Lawmakers question safety of Google virus website The Memo: Trump tests limits of fiery attacks during crisis Sanders when asked about timeframe for 2020 decision: 'I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis' MORE (I-Vt.), or Biden, a former senator and vice president from Delaware. Biden leads in delegates but Sanders has yet to drop out of the race.

Once that has been decided, attention will shift to who will be the running mate on the Democratic ticket.

When it comes to black voters, many of them know exactly where they stand with President Trump and Vice President Pence. Despite laughable attempts by left-wing media to agitate black voters against the GOP, the truth is that black Americans have never fared so well as they have during the years of the Trump administration.

Over the past three years, the unemployment and poverty rates for African Americans hit all-time lows. During the same period, Republican supporters of Trumps agenda passed the revolutionary Fist Step Act, which has reunited many black families after Clinton-era policies unfairly targeted and punished them with lengthy prison sentences for non-violent crimes.

And President Trumps championing of Opportunity Zones has sought to pour unprecedented wealth into many historically black neighborhoods.

What have black voters gotten from Democrats during that same time? More of the tired pandering and insulting appeals to identity politics, which does little more than pay lip service to minority voters every four years. Voters of color are beginning to awaken to the scam, and Democrats are noticing.

It is for this reason that we should not be surprised if the Democratic nominee makes a desperate attempt to court black voters by choosing a black running mate. There has been talk of Biden considering Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisDemocrats introduce bill to promote mail-in voting amid coronavirus crisis Five Latinas who could be Biden's running mate Biden allies see Warren as potential running mate MORE (D-Calif.), who ended her own presidential campaign in December. Stacey Abrams of Georgia, who lost a 2018 bid to become governor, also has been thrown into the discussion. But the announcement of a black female candidate is not as universally compelling to the black community as many Democrats might think.

A recent poll from the Wall Street Journal found that almost 25 percent of black men approve of President Trump, while only 6 percent of black women say the same. Those numbers should be higher, but it shows us that black men are slowly but surely breaking free from the flawed notion that they must reflexively align themselves with the Democratic Party. The gambit of placating black voters has grown stale during a time when a Republican president is delivering real results that positively impact their lives.

With Sanders on the ropes and Biden poised to prevail as the Democratic nominee, expect to see lots of jockeying in the days ahead by ambitious black women looking to propel themselves onto a national ticket.

Democrats should think twice about this. After all, the main determinant of who is chosen as the Democratic vice presidential candidate should be his or her qualifications, not the fact that this person is female or a person of color.

The Democrats would do well to heed the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in his iconic speech describing his dream that his children would live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is the owner and manager of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the Year. He is the author of Reawakening Virtues.

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Democrats will go broke betting on black | TheHill - The Hill

Exit polling Tuesday night suggests a sizable amount of Democrats are ready to move on from the policies of former President Barack Obama and shift farther to the left.

In Obamas adopted home state of Illinois, at least 42% of Democratic voters expressed the desire to move on from the Obama years and choose a candidate who is more liberal, according to the Washington Times.

Only 37% of Democrats in Illinois said they wanted to return to Obamas policies.

The former president was more popular in the Florida primary, which was also held Tuesday. Of those who came out to vote, 43% said they would like a president with Obama's vision. However, 36% of voters said they want to shift even more to the left.

Over 50% over Democrats in Florida and Illinois said they support a government-run healthcare system for all similar to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanderss platform.

Fox News polling, which framed its question slightly differently, showed support for government-run healthcare was even higher at 71% in Illinois and 74% in Florida.

Sanders was unable to capitalize on that support for his healthcare plan, falling to Vice President Joe Biden in both states.

Obama has so far declined to endorse his former vice president for president, deciding instead to wait and see how the primary process plays out.

Following Tuesdays defeat, Bernie Sanders has little to no path to the nomination in terms of a delegate victory.

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Exit polling shows large percentage of Democratic voters want to move on from Obama policies and shift farther left - Washington Examiner

Donald Trump picked fights with Democrats on Tuesday even as he called for them to keep politics out of the battle against what he called, in a return to nationalist rhetoric, the Chinese virus.

As the White House prepares a massive stimulus package to counter the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak, the president gave an upbeat assessment of the economy, seen as critical to his political future, promising it would pop again soon.

Were going to win, he vowed.

That this crisis is taking place in an election year is impossible to ignore.

I watched the debate not too exciting, Trump said of last Sundays meeting between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. But what they said about me and weve done a great job when you talk about not being bipartisan, what they said about me.

He accused the Obama administration, in which Biden was vice-president, of making terrible and horrific mistakes in handling a swine flu outbreak in 2009.

Seventeen thousand people died, Trump told reporters at a coronavirus taskforce briefing. In fact the official death toll in the US was 12,469.

They shouldnt be criticising because weve done a fantastic job, Trump added, before airing a familiar grievance.

The only thing we havent done well is to get good press. Weve done a fantastic job but it hasnt been appreciated.

Even the closing down of the borders, which had never been done, and not only did we close them but we closed them early. The press doesnt like writing about it. So weve done a poor job on press relationships and I guess I dont know who to blame for that. I dont know, maybe I can blame ourselves for that. I will blame ourselves.

In a rare Oval Office address last week, Trump urged unity. But almost every day since he has attacked Obama, Biden or Democratic governors. He began Tuesday by going after governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.

He tweeted: Cuomo wants all states to be treated the same. But all states arent the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big hotspot, West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases.

Trump added: Andrew, keep politics out of it

New York is now among the worst affected by the coronavirus. But at a press conference in Albany, Cuomo struck a conciliatory tone: I said to the president, who is a New Yorker I put my hand out in partnership. I want to work together 100%. I want your help. I need your help.

I think the president was 100% sincere in saying he wanted to work together in partnership, in a spirt of cooperation. The actions he has taken evidence that. His team are on it.

Trump also attacked Whitmer, seen as a potential running mate for Biden.

Failing Michigan governor must work harder and be much more proactive, he wrote. We are pushing her to get the job done. I stand with Michigan!

Whitmer shot back, seeking swift and clear guidance, tests, personal protective equipment, and resources. She went on to list measures taken in her state, a key election battleground.

At the White House, Trump insisted: I only do that when I have to respond. I watched her [Whitmer] on television. She said something that was false and therefore I did do that and I will continue to do that.

If theyre not going to play fair, because you know, they have the media on their side. I dont. I just have me. And if theyre not going to play fair, Im going to do that. If they are going to play fair, theres going to be nobody better than Donald Trump in terms of bipartisanship.

Trump also faced criticism for his use of the phrase Chinese virus. Congressman Ted Lieu tweeted: Theres a difference between saying a virus came from China versus calling it a Chinese virus. Asian Americans have already been assaulted because of this type of rhetoric.

Asked by the Guardian if he intended to continue using the phrase, Trump replied: China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false and rather than having an argument I said I have to call it where it came from. It did come from China so I think its a very accurate term.

More than a month ago, the World Health Organization director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the novel strain of the coronavirus had an official name, Covid-19, which should prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing.

A robust economy had been seen as Trumps strongest suit for re-election. Now he faces recession. Airlines are said to face a bigger crisis than after 9/11.

Trump insisted: If we do this right, our country can be rolling again pretty quickly. We have to fight that invisible enemy. I guess, unknown but were getting to know it a lot better.

He added: The best thing we can do is get rid of the virus. Once thats gone, its going to pop back like nobodys ever seen before, thats my opinion I think our economy will come back really rapidly. One day well be standing possibly up here, well say, Well, we won. Sure as youre sitting here, were going to say that. Were going to win.

Trump has claimed credit for banning travel from China early on but faced condemnation for not moving faster on widespread testing. Despite a long list of public statements in which he downplayed the threat, on Tuesday he made a startling claim: Ive always known this is a real this is a pandemic.

I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.

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Trump says 'keep politics out' of coronavirus then picks fight with Democrats - The Guardian