By Samantha Flom
With the presidential contest heating up, the presumptive Republican and Democrat nominees are both looking to the Golden State for a boost in cash flow.
As former President Donald Trump dines with tech investors in San Francisco on June 6, President Joe Biden will be gearing up for a swanky celebrity fundraiser in Los Angeles that is slated for June 15.
The dueling events come as both candidates are looking to up their resources heading into the height of election season.
While President Biden maintains a cash advantage over his predecessor, President Trump has recently begun to eat into that lead.
The VIP dinner and reception—hosted by venture capitalists and “All-In” podcast hosts Chamath Palihapitiya and David and Jacqueline Sacks—could help to narrow the gap even further.
Attendees are asked to contribute $50,000 per person or raise $100,000 per person, an invite shows.
Members of the host committee are asked to contribute $300,000 per person—or $500,000 per couple—or raise $500,000 per person.
Mr. Sacks is a close friend of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Last year, the pair hosted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Mr. Musk’s X platform for his presidential campaign announcement.
Mr. DeSantis has since dropped out of the race and endorsed President Trump.
Meanwhile, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is slated to become the second comedian this year to host a high-profile fundraiser in support of President Joe Biden’s reelection bid.
Mr. Kimmel will moderate a conversation with President Biden and former President Barack Obama at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles, according to an Eventbrite listing.
The star-studded affair will feature actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts as special guests, with tickets starting at $250 and special VIP packages of up to $500,000.
Proceeds will benefit the Biden Victory Fund, which allocates donations to the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and state Democratic parties.
The fundraiser comes three months after Stephen Colbert hosted another glitzy fundraiser for President Biden in New York.
President Obama headlined that event as well, alongside former President Bill Clinton and several celebrity performers.
The event raised a then-record $26 million.
But President Trump, not to be outdone, topped that achievement just days later by raising a whopping $50.5 million at an April 6 fundraiser at the home of hedge fund billionaire John Paulson in Palm Beach, Florida.
“This sold-out event has raised the most in a single political fundraiser in history. This overwhelming support demonstrates the enthusiasm for President Trump and his policies,” Mr. Paulson told The Epoch Times at the time.
Those funds could not have come at a more crucial time for President Trump.
Saddled with legal fees from various criminal cases and lawsuits, the former president needed an influx of funds.
But according to his campaign, he and the Republican National Committee finished the month out strong, raising more than $76 million.
By contrast, President Biden and the Democratic National Committee reported raising $51 million, making April the first month this year in which his Republican rival outraised him.
While the president still boasts more cash on hand, with his appeal to Hollywood, he will likely be looking to extend that advantage entering the final stretch of his campaign.
T.J. Muscaro, Austin Alonzo, Melanie Sun, Janice Hisle, and Reuters contributed to this report.
