Booker says his campaign needs 1.7 million by end of the month or he will have to withdraw from the race

According to a report from NBC News, a staff memo from the Cory Booker campaign says they need $1.7 million by Sept. 30 or the campaign is finished.

If he doesn’t get it, he’s likely going to be out of the 2020 presidential campaign, according to a staff memo obtained by NBC News’ Alex Seitz-Wald.

“Without a fundraising surge to close out this quarter, we do not see a legitimate long-term path forward,” campaign manager Addisu Demissie wrote in the memo. “The next 10 days will determine whether Cory Booker can stay in this race.”

Booker is No. 8 in national polls, below entrepreneur Andrew Yang, mayor Pete Buttigieg, and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Booker is presently polling at 2%.

Polls in early voting states reflect that voters are split among former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sen. Kamala Harris and Buttigieg claim high single-digit percentages, while the other 14 candidates haven’t cracked 2% in Iowa or New Hampshire.

Per month on average, Booker attracted $1.5 million in campaign contributions from April to June this, according to Federal Election Commission data. So, getting a full $1.7 million in just ten days would be ostensibly tricky for the New Jersey senator.

The staff memo warned that many other promising candidates are likely to drop out of the race in coming weeks. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio exited the race this week.

“Booker might not be in this race for much longer — the same is true for other important voices in the field,” Demissie wrote.

The memo preceded what would become a full-court press of publicity from Booker’s team emphasizing the number and their need for donations.

In a series of tweets on Twitter, Booker insisted it wasn’t a stunt.

This isn't an end-of-quarter stunt. This is a real, unvarnished look under the hood of our campaign at a level of transparency unprecedented in presidential politics.

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 21, 2019

If you’re all in for me, I can't thank you enough. But if you haven’t settled on a candidate & still think my voice belongs in this race, if you believe the Democratic field should include someone like me, I want you to understand the field may narrow & pay attention to this too.

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 21, 2019