Republicans in the House currently hold a significant edge over Democrats in terms of fundraising efforts for the upcoming election, a stark shift from the state of affairs four years back, according to a Tuesday report by Politico.
In the second quarter, 65 Republican candidates managed to raise at least $500,000, as opposed to 40 Democrats. Looking back four years, only 30 Republicans surpassed that figure, compared to 50 Democrats.
“Over the past two election cycles, House Republicans have strived to level the playing field with Democrats in terms of fundraising,” said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer to Politico. He praised the House GOP campaign’s effort, stating, “We’ve transformed a fundraising deficit into a formidable advantage.” He added, “This is a major development, but we still have a long road ahead.”
Such an edge might prove pivotal for the House GOP, as they only have a five-seat lead and are defending about 18 districts where President Joe Biden enjoys substantial support.
Among the 31 Republicans the Democrats have marked for defeat, three have amassed more than $1 million in the second quarter, with many more trailing closely. Meanwhile, none of the incumbents or prominent candidates in the 36 Democrat-controlled seats that Republicans intend to take over achieved $1 million.
A Democratic strategist involved in House races noted that “While there’s still time to bridge the fundraising gap, Democratic incumbents need to up their game if they aim to reclaim the majority.”
However, Democrats can find solace in the fact that GOP contenders are not bringing in impressive amounts in competitive seats. Out of the 36 Democrats targeted, only six face a Republican adversary who raised more than $200,000 in the second quarter, as reported by Politico.
Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, assured in a statement to Politico that “Democrats are well-positioned to regain the majority next year and will have the resources necessary, as indicated by the DCCC consistently outperforming Republicans this year.”
However, some Democrats suggest that the GOP’s financial upper hand might be illusory. Pennsylvania Democratic Representative Susan Wild stated to Politico that “I believe the NRCC [National Republican Congressional Committee] is energetically funneling funds to their frontline [incumbents] in a way that may appear as a stronger fundraising prowess than they truly possess.”
She added, “If the funds are simply allocated there because Kevin McCarthy directed certain members or organizations to do so, it doesn’t necessarily mean that person is an effective fundraiser.”
In response, Dan Conston, president of the McCarthy-affiliated Congressional Leadership Fund, retorted in a statement to Politico, “The emphasis from Speaker McCarthy and the NRCC on ensuring targeted Republican incumbents are well-funded is already yielding results. This financial advantage will serve as a protective shield, allowing us to concentrate on our primary objective: effectively characterizing Democrats.”
