US presidential hopefuls have spent $87,631 on Uber and Lyft rides this year. Here's which campaigns are spending the most. (UBER, LYFT)

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FILE - This June 27, 2019 file photo shows Democratic presidential candidates from left, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice-President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., on the second night of the Democratic primary debate hosted by NBC News in Miami. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

  • 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. 
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

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:

SEE ALSO: POWER RANKING: Here’s who has the best chance of becoming the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee

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 



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