Obama Hosts Six Fundraisers Friday in Minneapolis, Chicago
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JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — President Obama will jumpstart what looks to be a major June fundraising push with six money events on Friday in Minneapolis and Chicago — the most fundraisers he’s held in a single day since launching his bid for a second term.
Combined, Obama will raise north of $7.2 million for the Obama Victory Fund, according to figures provided by the campaign.
Flying to Minnesota under the banner of “official business” — an event at a Honeywell factory in a Minneapolis suburb — Obama will quickly turn to politics, lunching with three separate sets of donors at the downtown Bachelor Farmer restaurant, an eatery owned by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton’s two sons, Eric and Andrew.
The president will first address a group of 100 guests, each paying $5,000 a plate. He then meets privately with two small roundtables of deep-pocket supporters — one group paying $40,000 per person; the other $50,000 per person, a campaign official said.
Proceeds from all the events benefit the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising account which funnels contributions to Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several state Democratic parties. The first $5,000 of an individual’s contribution go directly to the Obama campaign; the remainder, up to $30,800, goes to the DNC; and anything above $35,800 from a single individual gets distributed to state parties, an official said.
In the evening, Obama heads to Chicago for three more fundraisers — a televised reception at the Chicago Cultural Center with an estimated 350 fans (tickets at $2,500+ per person) and two intimate dinners at private residences. Tickets for the dinners were $35,800 apiece.
Chaka and Tracey Patterson will host an expected 55 supporters at their home for the first dinner, officials said. Chaka is a lawyer with the firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom; his wife Tracey is a senior manager at Accenture.
Longtime Democratic donors Paula and Jim Crown are sponsoring the second private event, hosting an expected 60 guests for dinner and reception. Jim Crown is president of Henry Crown and Company, a private investment firm.
With Friday’s events, Obama will have attended a record-setting 146 re-election fundraisers for his campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Later in June, the president and the first lady will attend separate star-studded, high-dollar galas in New York City with Bill Clinton and actress Sarah Jessica Parker. The president will also make fundraising swings through California, Maryland and Pennsylvania, according to local news reports and invitations for some of the events obtained by ABC News.
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