It's important to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in our daily lives. We count our blessings in tough times, and today I am counting my many blessings in an hour of hope and determination.
When I first announced my candidacy in early January, we had no money and no endorsements. A lot of people were rolling their eyes and counting us out. It is with my heartfelt gratitude to thousands of my fellow brothers and sisters that we are announcing today our record-breaking first quarter fundraising results. In less than three months, our campaign against Debbie Wasserman Schultz has raised more than $557,000 in more than 26,000 individual online contributions from more than 15,000 donors.
Not only are we the fastest growing grassroots campaign for Congress in the country, but we also raised more than any first quarter for any first-time candidate in the history of South Florida. And unlike my opponent, we did not take a penny from any corporate political action committee (PAC) or Super PAC. Rather, with an average contribution of only $20, our campaign is powered by working families -- teachers, nurses, small business owners, union members, students, and seniors.
When I see airport workers on strike, I know that some of them are contributing to our campaign in South Florida. When I see students burdened by debt and seniors struggling to make ends meet, I know these are our benefactors. I know that their fight is our fight.
These past three months have seemed at times like both a marathon and a sprint. We were confronted with constant headwinds and we had to run just to stand still. But with each obstacle our grassroots movement grew stronger. In the last four days of the quarter alone, we raised nearly $100,000, revealing that our grassroots campaign is picking up steam with each passing day.
I know that many of you who have donated are going through tough times. I have read letters and messages about waiting for the next paycheck, living on fixed incomes, struggling to pay the next bill -- and yet sending in a contribution to our campaign. And every little bit has helped. With people power, all those donations of ten or five or even a dollar, have added up. And together, we now have the resources to start building a winning campaign.
There's a reason the Huffington Post has said our race will reveal more about the future of the Democratic Party than any contest this year. It pits progressive values fueled by grassroots energy against a soulless corporate dominated machine. This is a struggle to reclaim our democracy from the elites who have rigged our politics and our economy for their own gain.
Together we will build our movement, we will win this election, and we will make a political revolution. I am profoundly grateful and heartened by your support.
In solidarity,
Tim Canova