Trump, Republicans raised $247.8 million in September: Campaign manager

President Donald Trump is lagging his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in fundraising in the final weeks before the Nov. 3 election, according to figures released by his campaign manager.

Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee started the last full month before the Nov. 3 election with $251.4 million cash on hand after raising $247.8 million in September, campaign manager Tim Murtaugh tweeted late on Thursday.

The intake was around $135 million less than former Vice President Biden raised in September. But it was greater than the $210 million raised in August as Trump seeks a second term.

"President Trump hits final stretch with strength, resources, record & huge ground game needed to spread message and secure re-election," Murtaugh wrote.

Biden and his party have hauled in record amounts of cash. Biden brought in $383 million in September, setting a new record for a U.S. campaign for the second consecutive month. He is also leading Trump in national opinion polls.

At the same time, Democratic fundraising organization ActBlue said on Thursday it collected $1.5 billion online from July to September, the most it had ever raised in one quarter. By comparison, major Republican fundraising platform WinRed said on Monday that it collected $623.5 million in the same period.