DNC Swimming in Debt as GOP Brings in Record Midterm Donations
With the midterm congressional elections now less than six months away, one political party is growing stronger, while another is having trouble raising money.
According to data from the website ProPublica, the Republican National Committee raked in $13 million in April, well ahead of the Democratic National Committee, which only received less than $7.8 million in donations.
Further, the DNC is deep in debt.
The contrast was noted by ProPublica, which said the GOP figure was a record for a midterm election year, while the Democrats’ haul was its lowest April since 2006.
DNC reports raising $7.8 million in April, lowest midterm figure for that month since 2006. Spent $8.3 million and ended month with $8.7 million in cash. Has $5.3 million in debts: https://t.co/d9421PHHK7 pic.twitter.com/t4bOwInidx
— Derek Willis (@derekwillis) May 21, 2018
ProPublica said that the GOP is sitting on $43.8 million while the Democrats have $8.7 million in money for the grueling fall contests.
As the GOP was on its way to setting a fundraising record, RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel noted that the Republican Party has had a strong fund-raising showing since President Donald Trump took office.
“Another month of record-breaking fundraising confirms what many in the mainstream media are ignoring: Americans are doing better under Republican leadership. Our country has more jobs, a growing economy, and higher wages, thanks to President Trump and Republicans in Congress,” she said, according to The Washington Times.
“With our strong grass-roots support, we will continue to work with the president and Republicans in Congress to build upon these achievements,” she said.
Not only do Democrats have less money, they are spending it on spats within the party, Bloomberg reported.
Krumholz said a primary victory for many Democrats comes at a heavy cost.
“Victors of wide-open primaries with well-funded opponents are usually left with depleted coffers,” she said.
After analyzing recent campaign filings, Bloomberg said that in 17 of 23 congressional districts considered toss-ups by Cook Political Report, Republicans held the fund-raising edge.
“Republicans owe their advantage to incumbency in most of these close races,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign finance research group in Washington.
Midterm elections often represent a decline in the number of House and Senate seats held by the party that holds the White House. Republicans currently have a majority in the House and Senate.
In an Op-Ed published in The Hill, McDaniel said the GOP will defy that trend.
“The Republican National Committee knows what we’re up against this November. We know we’re facing tough historical trends, and many in the mainstream media have all but called this election a loss for Republicans. But we’ve defied history before, and the Republican Party is in prime position to do it again in 2018,” she wrote, noting that the party plans to spend $250 million in the midterm elections.
“We are far ahead of the Democratic Party by every measure, not only in fundraising but also in the strength of our ground game, voter engagement and activism,” she wrote.
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