Biden vs. Trump: Who 50 Battleground Counties Are Betting On

For those of you who are already completely exhausted by 2020, the reminder that there’s an election in November is not particularly welcome. Especially when you consider just how divisive that election stands to be, right at a time when America could use a lot more unity as it faces down one of its greatest crises. That’s probably not something you need reminding of if you live in one of the battleground counties that could swing either way. There, you can bet that political strategists of every stipe are currently churning out the radio and TV ads that will bombard you through Halloween.

However, while anyone who prefers to stay apolitical might hate living in a county like that, they do provide an excellent window into how things might be going. In particular, they can give some insight into which candidate is raising the most money — a critical sign of a high level of support — from the people living in those counties. To do so, GOBankingRates has noted just how much each candidate and their party committee has raised in each of the 50 counties identified by think tank ThirdWay as being the sort of contested suburban counties that will decide the election.

So, how is fundraising going for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden in these key districts? Here’s a closer look at which major party candidate is winning the money war that wages before anyone starts counting the votes.

Last updated: Sept. 14, 2020

Maricopa County, Arizona

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,906,696
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $448.22
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 45.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $8,863,871
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,083.70
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 49.1%

Brevard County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $289,486
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $501.88
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 38.0%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,373,676
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,381.51
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 57.8%

Broward County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,101,609
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $577.02
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 66.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $3,379,211
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,770.01
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 31.4%

Escambia County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $96,362
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $309.33
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 37.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $490,548
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,574.68
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 58.3%

Lake County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $147,698
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $440.42
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 36.8%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $772,041
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,302.11
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 60.0%

Lee County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $448,957
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $624.70
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 38.3%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $2,044,130
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,844.29
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 58.7%

Marion County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $111,270
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $319.40
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 35.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $686,374
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,970.24
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 61.7%

Pasco County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $111,139
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $217.67
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 37.4%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $652,850
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,278.61
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 58.9%

Polk County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $151,768
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $226.97
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 41.3%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $835,825
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,249.98
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 55.4%

Saint Lucie County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $76,195
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $249.34
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $477,761
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,563.40
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 49.9%

Seminole County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $226,093
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $496.82
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.1%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,487,911
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $3,269.52
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 48.7%

Volusia County, Florida

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $192,094
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $364.07
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 41.8%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,016,622
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,926.76
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 54.8%

Peach County, Georgia

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,089
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $40.42
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $18,227
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $675.94
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 50.5%

Lincoln County, Maine

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $37,223
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $1,092.66
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.8%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $64,973
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,907.23
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 45.4%

Genesee County, Michigan

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $70,722
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $172.76
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 52.4%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $329,118
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $803.98
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 42.9%

Livingston County, Michigan

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $79,200
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $420.20
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 32.6%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $307,205
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,629.89
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 62.2%

Muskegon County, Michigan

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $18,370
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $106.16
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $127,354
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $735.97
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 46.6%

Oakland County, Michigan

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,251,078
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $1,000.19
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 51.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $2,455,969
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,963.45
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 43.6%

Saint Clair County, Michigan

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $29,836
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $186.98
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 31.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $159,262
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $998.10
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 62.9%

Washington County, Minnesota

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $122,284
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $482.73
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.0%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $266,244
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,051.03
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 45.1%

Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $240,509
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $585.06
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $511,317
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,243.82
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 47.4%

Brunswick County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $73,719
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $581.11
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 34.4%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $201,654
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,589.58
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 63.1%

Cabarrus County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $38,454
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $190.89
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 38.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $234,419
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,163.67
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 58.5%

Catawba County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $28,486
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $181.76
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 29.6%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $205,306
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,309.94
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 67.6%

Davidson County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $20,377
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $123.75
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 24.1%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $124,053
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $753.38
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 73.4%

Gaston County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $32,278
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $149.04
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 32.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $191,147
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $882.55
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 64.8%

Guilford County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $206,710
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $394.80
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 58.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,325,016
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,530.68
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 38.7%

Iredell County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $25,968
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $150.52
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 30.3%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $352,529
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,043.35
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 67.1%

Johnston County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $45,467
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $237.83
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 33.3%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $132,341
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $692.26
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 64.0%

New Hanover County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $120,322
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $536.60
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 46.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $409,722
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,827.24
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 50.3%

Union County, North Carolina

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $44,515
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $196.37
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 32.9%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $288,278
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,271.67
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 64.0%

Berks County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $102,283
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $245.49
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 42.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $368,070
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $883.42
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 52.9%

Butler County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $65,393
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $350.51
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 29.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $227,301
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,218.34
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 66.7%

Erie County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $84,216
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $305.16
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 46.8%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $188,541
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $683.19
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 48.8%

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $194,203
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $918.42
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 50.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $139,934
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $661.77
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 46.8%

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $107,722
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $338.87
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 38.8%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $230,686
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $725.70
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 58.4%

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,677,621
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $2,042.64
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 37.6%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $1,046,582
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,274.30
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 58.7%

Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $156,939
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $520.05
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 46.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $260,708
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $863.91
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 50.0%

Washington County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $74,107
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $357.07
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 35.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $296,553
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,428.85
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 60.8%

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $92,609
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $261.05
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 32.7%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $463,691
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,307.09
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 64.1%

York County, Pennsylvania

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $224,160
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $504.85
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 33.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $427,200
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $962.13
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 62.5%

Tarrant County, Texas

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $580,598
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $287.43
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 43.5%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $4,227,661
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $2,092.93
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 52.2%

Columbia County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $7,471
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $131.19
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 46.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $50,075
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $879.23
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 48.3%

Crawford County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $5,025
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $308.57
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 44.6%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $5,343
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $328.06
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 50.1%

Door County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $21,343
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $777.85
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 46.1%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $42,408
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,545.55
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 49.3%

Kenosha County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $28,558
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $169.66
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.2%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $225,218
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,337.96
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 47.5%

Lafayette County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $3,658
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $218.59
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 43.3%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $4,820
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $288.03
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 52.3%

Racine County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $41,040
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $210.04
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 45.4%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $205,310
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $1,050.73
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 49.8%

Sauk County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $18,849
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $296.39
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 47.4%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $41,163
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $647.27
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 46.9%

Winnebago County, Wisconsin

Biden and the Democratic National Committee
- Total contributions: $40,099
- Total contribution per 1,000 people: $235.98
- Percentage of county that voted Democrat in 2016: 43.1%
Trump and the Republican National Committee
- Total contributions: $138,981
- Total contributions per 1,000 people: $817.89
- Percentage of county that voted Republican in 2016: 50.6%

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: To see who (Biden v. Trump) is coming out on top in battleground counties in terms of cash contributions, GOBankingRates first sourced battleground counties from ThirdWay’s “2020’s Uncharted Territories: Small Suburban Counties that May Determine the Election”, The Hill’s “the 10 counties that will decide the 2020 election”, and Ballotpedia’s “Pivot Counties in Wisconsin.” With these battleground counties sourced, GOBankingRates used NPR’s “Money Tracker: How Much Trump And Biden Have Raised In The 2020 Election” and Politico’s “2016 Presidential Election Results by State” datasets to find the following factors: (1) total dollars contributed to Biden/Democratic National Committee (DNC) by county; (2) dollars contributed to Biden/DNC per 1,000 people by county; (3) total dollars contributed to Trump/Republican National Committee (RNC) by county; (4) dollars contributed to Trump/RNC per 1,000 people by county; (5) total dollars contributed to both (Biden/DNC AND Trump/RNC) by county; (6) percent of total dollars contributed by county to Biden/DNC; (7) percent of total dollars contributed by county to Trump/RNC; (8) percent of county that voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election; and (9) percent of county that voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election. All financial data is up to date through Aug. 21, 2020, published figures to the FEC and includes campaign and party committee itemized reports. All data was collected on and up to date as of Sept. 1, 2020.