House Republicans post record fundraising ahead of 2022 race

Jill Colvin and Will Weissert/AP

Updated: Jul 14, 2021 / 07:55 AM CDT

FILE – In this June 12, 2019, file photo, clouds roll over the U.S. Capitol dome as dusk approaches in Washington. The committee charged with helping Republicans wrest control of the House next year raised $45.4 million over the last three months, a record quarterly haul during a year without a national election. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The committee charged with helping Republicans wrest control of the House in 2022 raised $45.4 million over the last three months, a record quarterly haul during a year without a national election.

That total was bolstered by $20.1 million raised in June, the highest ever monthly off-year total, according to numbers shared with The Associated Press before a public filing deadline.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee last week announced that it had raised $14.4 million in June, bringing its second-quarter total to about $36.5 million — its best ever for that stretch.

The large sums signal that excitement is high among donors to both parties as they prepare for what is expected to be a contentious midterm election season. Democrats hold a razor-thin majority in the House, but Republicans have history on their side: The party that occupies the White House typically sees large losses in both the House and the Senate.

GOP fundraising has also been bolstered by former President Donald Trump, whose name continues to dominate fundraising pleas for small-dollar contributions, even as he continues to speak about the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

In its next filing, the National Republican Congressional Committee will report that it raised $79.2 million during the first half of the year, besting the $44.5 million raised in 2019 and marking the most ever raised for that period in the committee’s history. The committee now has $55 million cash on hand, versus more than $44 million for the DCCC.

But this year’s numbers were also bolstered by major contributions from Republican leadership accounts. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has transferred $12.76 million to the NRCC’s coffers this year, while House Republican Whip Steve Scalise has sent $8.39 million.

“We will take back the majority next fall and voters are doing everything they can to help us accomplish that goal,” NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer said in a statement. “Every vulnerable House Democrat should be eyeing the exits because if they choose to run, they will lose.”

While the DCCC has lagged behind, it, too, has broken records, including logging its best second quarter in committee history, with almost $36.5 million raised, including nearly $14.4 million in June.

“Our strong fundraising success shows American voters are rejecting Republican extremism and know just how critical a Democratic House Majority is to protecting our democracy and delivering for American families,” DCCC Chairman Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney said in a statement announcing the numbers.

The Democratic fundraising totals also benefited from transfers from party leadership, though they were not as hefty as those from top Republicans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s campaign fund contributed a bit more than $2 million during the past three months, while Maloney’s provided just shy of $155,000 over the same period. Another $283,000 came during the quarter from the campaign coffers of New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.