Democrats competing for the Senate across the country have almost all raised more than their Republican opponents in the first quarter of this year.
The fundraising benefit extended across the country and across different types of candidates. Democratic incumbents in Nevada, Ohio, Montana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; candidates in open races in Michigan, Maryland and Arizona; and challengers running against Republican incumbents in Texas and Florida all raised more money than their Republican counterparts.
“Senate Democrats’ strong fundraising is a testament to the support they have earned from voters and supporters,” Tommy Garcia, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement. “While each day brings new revelations about the lies, baggage and disqualifying flaws of Republican Senate candidates, Senate Democrats are building winning campaigns and communicating with voters about how they are fighting for the priorities of hardworking Americans.”
Of course, Democrats will have a hard time holding on to their slim majority in the U.S. Senate, regardless of their fundraising. The party can afford to lose just one seat, and this cycle’s map is brutal for them. Senator Joe Manchin’s retirement has effectively handed his deep-red state of West Virginia to the Republican Party. And Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Jon Tester in Montana are running for re-election in states that former President Donald Trump won in 2020, and Trump will be on the ballot again this fall.
In addition, Republicans have prioritized self-financing candidates, who have the ability to ramp up spending at a moment’s notice. And Republican financial billionaire Ken Griffin has one $10 million super PAC in support of former Governor Larry Hogan’s bid in Maryland.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm of Senate Republicans, declined to comment for this story.”
Here’s a look at the numbers in the 10 states:
Ohio: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) raised $6.4 million in March alone, netting him $16 million in cash (the term for money left over after spending). Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, who won his controversial primary in March, raised $1.1 million in the same period, including the $300,000 he loaned to the campaign, bringing his cash total to $1.8 million.
Nevada: Sen. Jacky Rosen (D) raised $5 million in the first quarter, leaving her with $13.2 million in cash on hand. Her leading Republican challenger, former Army Captain Sam Brown, raised $2.4 million, with $2.3 million in cash on hand.
Montana: Sen. Jon Tester (D) raised $8 million in the first quarter, leaving him with $12.6 million in cash on hand. Republican Tim Sheehy, an aerospace entrepreneur and former Navy SEAL, raised $3 million, with $1.9 million in cash on hand.
Pennsylvania: Sen. Bob Casey (D) raised $5.7 million in the first quarter, bringing his war chest to $11.9 million. Casey’s Republican challenger, former hedge fund manager Dave McCormick, raised $5.4 million, $1 million of which came from his own funds. McCormick, who is capable of self-financing, had $6.2 million in cash on hand at the end of March.
Wisconsin: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) raised $5.4 million in the first quarter, bringing her cash to $10.2 million. Republican challenger Eric Hovde, a real estate developer, raised $9 million, including $8 million from his own funds. He had $5.3 million in cash on hand.
Arizona: Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s retirement has left an open race between Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake, a former TV news anchor and gubernatorial candidate. Gallego raised $7.5 million in the first quarter of 2024, bringing its total cash to $9.6 million. Lake raised $3.6 million during that period and had $2.5 million in cash at the end of March.
Michigan: The retirement of Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow has created an open race in which Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the leading Democratic candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers is the Republican candidate. Slotkin raised $4.4 million in the first quarter of the year, bringing its total cash to $8.6 million. Rogers raised $1 million during that period and had $1.4 million in cash on hand.
Maryland: The race to unseat retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D) in a solidly Democratic state wouldn’t normally be competitive. It’s still a highly unlikely rebound for Republicans, but former Gov. Larry Hogan’s entry into the field could at least force Democrats to spend some serious money. Hogan raised a respectable $1.9 million in less than two months, leaving him with $1.5 million in cash on hand. With an extra month, Hogan’s two top Democratic rivals outpaced him in the first quarter of the year. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks raised $2.1 million and had $3.2 million in cash on hand. And Rep. David Trone (D), a multi-millionaire liquor retailer, raised $18.7 million, of which only $200,000 not self-financed. By the end of March, he had less than $1 million left.
Texas: The Democratic Rep. campaign Colin Allred against Sen. Ted Cruz (R) is widely seen as a long shot. But he will at least have some money to get his message across. Allred raised $6.5 million from mid-February to the end of March, compared to Cruz’s $4.6 million. And while Cruz has $9.3 million in cash on hand, Allred has $10.5 million.
Florida: Former Democratic Rep.’s Struggle Debbie Mucarsel-Powell against Senator Rick Scott (R) is also a very uphill battle. She had a better fundraising quarter than Scott, however, after raising $3.5 million to Scott’s $2.2 million. Scott has the cash edge, though, with $3.8 million to Mucarsel-Powell’s $2.8 million. But Scott, a wealthy hospital founder, is able to finance himself as the race heats up.
