RFK’s latest fundraising total underscores dependence on running mate’s donations

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign raised $2.6 million in May and ended the month with $6.4 million cash on hand, per Federal Election Commission filings published Wednesday.

Why it matters: The figures are significantly lower than the previous month as Kennedy burns through money fast as he aims to sustain his campaign through November.

• It means he’s unlikely to qualify for next week’s presidential debate, hosted by CNN, with the deadline set for midnight Thursday.
• The latest FEC filings show that his running mate, lawyer Nicole Shanahan, who’s previously contributed millions of dollars to their long-shot independent presidential campaign, did not donate any significant sum last month.

By the numbers: The campaign reported spending some $6.3 million in May, mostly on consulting work.

• Shanahan contributed $8 million of the $10.7 million raised in total in April, so subtracting her donation leaves Kennedy’s May fundraising total about the same as the previous month.

Yes, but: The New York Times notes that Shanahan, the founder and president of Bia-Echo Foundation and the former wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, hasn’t indicated whether she’ll impose a limit on campaign donations.

• Representatives for Kennedy’s campaign did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment.

Zoom out: Meanwhile, President Biden’s and former President Trump’s campaigns are hauling in tens of millions of dollars.

• Biden’s re-election campaign raised $28 million during a Hollywood fundraising event over the weekend, which was reportedly a Democratic Party record for most cash raised in one night.
• Trump’s campaign has received a $34.8 million windfall in the wake of his conviction in New York for falsifying business records last month that he said he will appeal.
• The presumptive GOP nominee’s team reported the figure was a single-day fundraising record on the WinRed platform for Republican donors.

Go deeper: Biden — and Trump — in no rush to prep for debate