AOC Outraises All Other House Dems, Still Falls Way Short of House Republicans
While freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York raised more money last quarter than any other House Democrat, she has some work to do to catch some of her Republican colleagues.
Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of the Bronx and Queens in New York City, raised $1.42 million between July 1 and Sept. 30, the New York Post reported.
After the freshman congresswoman, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi raised the most money in the third quarter.
The pair of California representatives netted $1.26 million and $1.15, respectively.
None of those figures, however, match the numbers raised by three prominent GOP congressmen.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana raised $3.45 million.
California Rep. Devin Nunes, the ranking member on the Intelligence Committee, raised $2.6 million.
And Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also of California, raised $1.6 million.
Ocasio-Cortez’s dominance in Democratic fundraising is unusual for a first-term representative.
“This is very rare, unique — I can’t recall anyone raising this much money during the first year in office,” political consultant George Arzt told the Post.
“AOC is a celebrity who gained attention from people across the country, and many on the left support her,” he said.
Brendan Quinn of the Center for Responsive Politics concurred, citing Ocasio-Cortez’s name recognition and popularity.
“She’s become iconic,” Quinn said.
Of the $1.41 million the New York congresswoman raised, $1.1 million came from donations of under $200.
Ocasio-Cortez’s impressive fundraising does come with one important caveat.
According to The Daily Caller News Foundation, less than 1 percent of itemized donations to Ocasio-Cortez’s re-election campaign came from her constituents.
Analyzing Federal Election Commission data, the DCNF found that the average freshman representative raised $107,141.29 in itemized contributions from people within his or her district.
Ocasio-Cortez raised 1.4 percent of that average.
The FEC requires that donations exceeding $200 be itemized.
Among freshman representatives, only Democratic Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Texas raised less in itemized donations from her constituents.
All of Garcia’s reported $14,400 came from people with addresses outside of her district.
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