Bernie Sanders’ financial edge over Hillary Clinton is forcing Clinton to fundraise "out of necessity," MSNBC reporter Kristin Welker said Tuesday.
Sanders outraised Clinton in March for the third consecutive month, surpassing her $29.5 million March sum by $14.5 million. Welker said that the Vermont senator’s fundraising ability affirms his presence in the 2016 race.
"When you think about Senator Sanders’ staying power, think about this, last month he outraised her by $15 million, nearly," Welker said. "So that’s why [Clinton is] fundraising – out of necessity."
Sanders has drawn contrasts between his campaign donations, which come from small-dollar online donors, and Clinton’s reliance on money from oil and gas lobbyists, Wall Street, and celebrities.
"We have received over six million individual campaign contributions averaging $27 apiece – I believe that is the future of the Democratic Party," Sanders said in Wisconsin on Sunday.
Sanders criticized Clinton Monday for taking "maximum contributions" from "paid lobbyists who represent the fossil fuel industry." He has also slammed Clinton for her pricey Wall Street speaking fees, which averaged $225,000 a speech.
Sanders’ attacks have intensified his rivalry with Clinton, which was once a cordial relationship. At a campaign event Thursday, Clinton snapped at a Greenpeace activist during a rope line who levied Sanders’ attacks against her.
"I am so sick--I am so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about me. I am sick of it," she told the activist.
Despite Sanders’ attacks, the Clinton campaign has insisted that it has a significant grassroots fundraising presence. In September, the campaign claimed that 93 percent of its donations between July and September averaged $100 or less.