Nikki Haley raised $11 million in third quarter, making fundraising gains in her fight to emerge as a leading Trump rival

Fundraising by Nikki Haley’s political operation improved in the third quarter, following her strong performances in the first two GOP debates and signs that donors are taking a closer look at the former South Carolina governor’s presidential bid, according to figures released Monday.

Haley’s campaign announced that she had raised more than $11 million in the July-to-September fundraising window – up from the $7.3 million collected during the previous quarter by her campaign and affiliated committees.

Her haul still lags far behind the $45.5 million that former President Donald Trump’s campaign recently announced raising through his political committees. Additionally, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another rival, has said his political operation brought in $15 million during the quarter.

But Haley’s campaign is touting the $9.1 million in cash on hand it says it has available for the homestretch to the first nominating contests, besting the $5 million that DeSantis’ camp said remained in his accounts for the primary faceoff.

The former UN ambassador’s campaign said she has attracted nearly 40,000 new donors in the third quarter alone.

“We have seen a big surge in support and have real momentum,” Haley spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement. “Nikki is emerging as the candidate who can move America beyond the chaos and drama of the past and present, and we have the resources we need to do it.”

The New York Times first reported Haley’s fundraising totals.

In a sign of fresh donor interest in Haley’s campaign, officials from her camp and DeSantis’ team have been invited to attend a gathering of major Republican donors later this week, according to a source familiar with the conclave.

The event organized by the American Opportunity Alliance is slated for Thursday and Friday in Texas, according to a Republican strategist close to the alliance.

The group’s members are among some of biggest names in Republican financial circles, including hedge fund billionaires Paul Singer and Ken Griffin, real-estate developer Harlan Crow and some members of the Ricketts family – whose patriarch, Joe Ricketts, founded the brokerage giant TD Ameritrade.

NBC first reported on the donor gathering.

The Texas meeting comes as some Republican donors voice growing concerns about Trump’s dominance over the rest of the Republican field – and Haley and DeSantis seek to position themselves as the main rivals to the former president.

All candidates must file details on their fundraising and spending during the third quarter by the end of the day October 15.