Ed Rendell: DNC Is Almost $10 Million Short on Funding

When the Democrats chose Philadelphia to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention last year, it was not a surprise. The New York Times reported Philly was seen as the frontrunner throughout the process in part because “it had the individual and corporate backing to fund a convention.”

There are now less than two months to go before the DNC. And the Democrats are having some problems getting funding. Buzzfeed talked to Ed Rendell last week, who said the they are about $9.5 million short in funding the convention.

That’s due to a variety of reasons. The federal government did not pitch in (it gave $18 million in 2012) and the City of Philadelphia didn’t, either (it gave $7.75 million to Republicans to host the RNC in 2000). And, reportedly thanks to Donald Trump, corporations that usually give money to both conventions are sitting this one out.

Still, Rendell told the Inquirer he believes the DNC will not end up short of its $64 million goal in the end: “When I was a candidate, I think of how much I raised in the last 60 days — and $9 million doesn’t seem like a lot.”

The Philadelphia convention does seem to be doing better than Charlotte was in 2012. That convention ended up $25 million short of its fundraising goal.

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