Midterms fundraising: Republican National Committee tops Democratic rival in April

FIRST ON FOX: The Republican National Committee edged the rival Democratic National Committee in fundraising last month, as both national party committees build resources for November’s midterm elections, when the GOP aims to win back the House and Senate majorities.

The RNC hauled in $14.2 million in April, according to fundraising figures shared first with Fox News on Saturday. That tops the $12.9 million brought in by the DNC and the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund, the DNC’s joint fundraising arm.

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE BEATS DEMOCRATIC RIVAL IN FIRST QUARTER FUNDRAISING

The RNC’s latest haul brings to $219.9 million the national party committee raised so far during the 2022 election cycle. That edges the DNC, which has raked in over $213 million so far this cycle.

“The Republican Party is firing on all cylinders to deliver Republican victories across the country. We have incredible enthusiasm on our side and are out-raising, out-investing, and out-organizing Democrats,” RNC chair Ronna McDaniel emphasized in a statement. 

And the longtime RNC chair claimed that “Americans are hurting because of Biden’s failed leadership and, come November, will send a referendum to the White House and fire Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer once and for all.”

TRUMP HAULS IN $19 MILLION DURING  FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR

But the DNC enjoys a sizable cash on hand advantage over their GOP rival.

The DNC reports $65.6 million in their coffers as of the end of April, compared to $43.7 for the RNC.

“Engagement from President Biden, Vice President Harris, the First Lady and the Second Gentleman has helped fuel the DNC’s fundraising success,” a DNC spokesperson highlighted. “Over half of all new donors to the DNC and one-third of the one-time revenue raised from grassroots channels in April came in from email, texts, and mailings signed by White House principals.”

National party fundraising is a key barometer of donor and voter enthusiasm ahead of the midterms, and the money raised can be used — among other things — for party staffing in key battlegrounds, grassroots and other get-out-the-vote efforts, campaign ads, and can be transferred the party’s House and Senate re-election committees.

The GOP needs a net gain of just one seat to recapture the majority in the 100-member Senate they lost when they were swept in the Jan. 2021 twin runoff elections in Georgia. And Republicans need a net gain of five seats in the 435-member House of Representatives to win back the majority the Democrats captured in the 2018 midterms.

The Democrats are facing a difficult political climate fueled in part by President Biden’s underwater approval ratings. And they’re also facing historic headwinds this year, as the party that wins the White House traditionally suffers setbacks in the ensuing midterms.