As he continues to ponder a bid for the White House in 2016, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) reported on Tuesday that he raised more than $796,000 for his political action committee between April and June.
That’s a fraction of the more than $2.5 million that “Ready for Hillary,” a super PAC backing Hillary Rodham Clinton if she decides to run, raised during the same time period. The super PAC of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has firmly said she is not considering a run, raised more than $620,000.
O’Malley raised nearly $1.7 million last year for his O’ Say Can You See PAC, which he uses to pay for a small political staff, travel expenses and donations to fellow Democrats — all of which helps boost his national profile as he positions himself for a possible run for president.
During the first three months of this year, O’Malley only raised about $104,200, mostly because he did not solicit donations during Maryland’s 90-day legislative session which starts in early January and ended on April 7. The governor now has $894,833.33 on hand.
The governor spent a chunk of the second quarter giving keynote addresses at Democratic dinners and raising money for fellow Democrats. He hosted fundraisers for gubernatorial candidates in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Michigan and Iowa. He also hosted a fundraiser in April for Alison Lundergan Grimes, who is challenging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in one of the most-watched matches in the country.
O’Malley’s PAC made donations to the campaigns of more than a dozen Democrats running for a seat in the Maryland General Assembly, plus the House and Senate Democratic caucuses each received $3,500. The PAC also gave $2,000 to Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery), who is running for Maryland Attorney General and won in a close primary.