- Uber and Lyft are raking in big money from 2020 presidential candidates as they ramp up campaigns across the country.
- In total, 18 Democratic hopefuls spent more than $87,000 on rides and meals in the first half of 2019, according to regulatory filings.
- Sen. Kamala Harris of California easily spent the most on the apps, at $14,708, while others, like the former Texas state Rep. Beto O’Rourke and billionaire Tim Steyer, are not disclosing any expenses to the companies.
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Campaign workers for the 2020 US presidential hopefuls are expensing plenty of Uber and Lyft rides as their bosses canvass the company in hopes of securing the Democratic nomination for commander-in-chief.
In total, the leading 20 candidates have spent $87,631 on the two main ride-hailing services this year, according to spending data from the Federal Election Commission analyzed by Business Insider.
California Sen. Kamala Harris’s campaign handily outspent the rest of the pack, expensing 81 Uber and 73 Lyft rides in the first six months of 2019, totaling $8,835 and $5,873, respectively.
Campaigns are averaging about $4,800 each on the apps, with the front-runners all spending near $10,000 for rides in the filing period.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who was been outspoken in her support of a driver strike in March, had the third-most Uber and Lyft expenses, the data shows, with Andrew Yang only slightly ahead.
Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke and billionaire activist Tim Steyer notably had no expenses reported for Uber or Lyft rides. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, meanwhile, spent just $921 on Lyft rides, and nothing with Uber.
It's important to remember that many candidates did not kick off their campaigns until the second quarter was already well underway, and so many amounts could rise quickly when the candidates file their third-quarter reports in August.
Here's how the candidates rank, without those who haven't filed any disbursements to Uber and Lyft:
18. Steve Bullock
Uber: $204.00
Lyft: $87.00
Total: $291.00
17. Tulsi Gabbard
Uber: $240.00
Lyft: $489.00
Total: $ 729.00
16. Bernie Sanders
Uber: $0
Lyft: $921
Total: $921
15. Bill de Blasio
Uber: $431
Lyft: $663
Total: $1,094
14. Tim Ryan
Uber: $1,183.00
Lyft: $0
Total: $1,183.00
13. Marianne Williamson
Uber: $1,330.00
Lyft: $0
Total: $1,330.00
12. Joe Biden
Uber: $1,811
Lyft: $776
Total: $2,587
11. Julián Castro
Uber: $1,003
Lyft: $1, 996
Total: $2,999
10. Seth Moulton
Uber: $3,610
Lyft: $139
Total: $3,749
9. Amy Klobuchar
Uber: $2,334
Lyft: $1,967
Total: $4,301
8. Cory Booker
Uber: $2,363
Lyft: $1,954
Total: $4,317
7. John Delaney
Uber: $922
Lyft: $4,481
Total: $5,403
6. John Hickenlooper
Uber: $3,550
Lyft: $4,507
Total: $8,057
5. Kirsten Gillibrand
Uber: $5,230
Lyft: $2,971
Total: $8,201
4. Pete Buttigieg
Uber: $8,092
Lyft: $1,060
Total: $9,152
3. Elizabeth Warren
Uber: $4,865
Lyft: $3,368
Total: $9,233
2. Andrew Yang
Uber: $6,390
Lyft: $2,286
Total: $9,376
1. Kamala Harris
Uber: $8,835
Lyft: $5,873
Total: $14,708