Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE’s presidential campaign announced Friday that it raised $5.3 million in online donations last month as the former vice president seeks to reassure voters as to the vitality of his White House bid.

“Folks, we can’t thank you enough for your support,” the campaign said in an email to supporters, noting that October was its best online fundraising month since its launch. “We know with you on our side, we are going to win this nomination and defeat Donald Trump.”

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The campaign confirmed to The Hill that it had 182,000 online donations last month, the most since its launch, and that the average contribution was $28.29.

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The fundraising boost comes amid Democratic hand-wringing over the Biden campaign’s finances — while it reported a $15.2 million haul in the third quarter of 2019, that total fell millions of dollars behind the third-quarter hauls of Sens. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) and Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.).

The former vice president also finished the third quarter with just under $9 million cash on hand, while Sanders, Warren, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE and Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook McEnany says Juneteenth is a very ‘meaningful’ day to Trump MORE (D-Calif.) had $33.7 million, $25.7 million, $23.4 million and $10.5 million, respectively.

The fundraising concerns coincided with a slip in the polls, which was exacerbated as Warren surged in national and early state polls. However, Biden still leads in many surveys, and has a 5.4-point edge in the RealClearPolitics polling index.

The campaign sent out an appeal to supporters in the middle of October, saying it was “worried” about its amount of cash on hand. 

“The first votes will be cast in this primary starting February 3, 2020 — just over 100 days from now — and we need to be fueling our grassroots efforts in crucial states like Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina,” Elana Firsht, the Biden campaign’s online fundraising director, said in a frank fundraising email to supporters. “We can’t afford to fall behind, so I’m asking you to step up now and make a donation to fuel our campaign.” 

The campaign Friday indicated that it is comfortable with where it stands in the money race, saying it posted smaller figures than some competitors because it had spent funds on building out critical infrastructure.

“We knew we were going to have to spend money and we were comfortable with that,” Pete Kavanaugh, Biden’s deputy campaign manager, told The Associated Press. “You always want more money. But we believe we had made the right decision. We’d rather end with $9 million on hand than not make those investments.”

Kavanaugh also pointed to President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s sustained attacks on Biden over unfounded corruption allegations regarding his dealings with Ukraine and the House’s new impeachment investigation as sparking support for the former vice president.

“All of the Trump attacks have started to catalyze. More people understand what is at stake,” Kavanaugh told the AP. “People out there are seeing Joe Biden getting attacked day after day. They understand he needs to fight back.”

“Right around the time the Ukraine stuff broke wide open and [Trump] made clear that he and the [Republican National Committee] were going to spend money attacking Biden — that’s when you see this start to change,” he added. “It got people to snap to attention.”

Biden faced criticism from his opponents last month after his campaign signaled openness to using a super PAC to boost his 2020 bid.

The use of super PACs has become a contentious issue within the Democratic presidential primary, Warren and Sanders vowing not to work with the PACs.