House Republicans’ campaign arm reports drop in fundraising after speaker fight 

The National Republican Congressional Committee raised $5 million in October, far less than previous months, as GOP lawmakers struggled to elect a House speaker. 

The $5 million in donations, reported to the Federal Election Commission on Monday, is about a 44% decrease from the $9 million the Republican campaign committee raised in September. 

At the same point in previous off-year cycles, the NRCC raised $10 million in October 2019 and $9.8 million in October 2021, according to Politico. The outlet notes that last month’s donations represent the committee’s third-lowest fundraising month of this year. 

The NRCC also reported spending $3.8 million in October and has about $37 million in cash on hand. 

Meanwhile, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported raising $8.1 million in October. The House Democrats’ campaign arm also reported spending $5.4 million during the month and has about $47.3 million in cash – $10 million more than the GOP committee. 

October was marred by intraparty GOP infighting that kicked off on Oct. 3, when Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from the speakership by eight GOP members and all Democrats after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced a motion to vacate the chair. 

Over a 21-day period that followed, Republican House members labored to nominate a candidate that could get enough votes on the floor to replace McCarthy. 

The GOP conference went through three nominees – Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) – before finally electing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Oct. 25. 

The NRCC report comes as some GOP insiders have expressed concern about Johnson’s ability to fill the party’s coffers. 

“McCarthy was the LeBron James of fundraising and Mike Johnson really isn’t and so how is it that you can square this circle?” a top New York House Republican staffer told The Post earlier this month. 

Johnson launched a joint fundraising committee –  Grow the Majority – on Monday that will be his primary fundraising instrument, according to Politico. 

The committee is expected to solicit donations on behalf of vulnerable incumbents, Republican challengers, the NRCC and the Congressional Leadership Fund, a House Republican-aligned super PAC, according to the outlet.