Politics

In race for U.S. House, Democrats grab money momentum

As Democrats try to wrest control of the U.S. House from Republicans in the November elections, the latest fundraising figures from around the nation clearly show dozens of Democratic candidates pulling in more money in the third quarter of this year than their Republican opponents in key House races, providing Democrats with some financial momentum going into the final weeks of the 2018 campaign.

The “green wave” of money certainly doesn’t guarantee victory for Democrats in any race – but it gives them the financial ability to make more noise in a number of districts when compared to two or four years ago.

In a statement, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the ‘historic’ levels of money have expanded “the battlefield to create many paths to the 23 seats we need to flip the House.”

For example in Georgia, a pair of Democratic challengers in the Atlanta suburbs out raised GOP incumbents by 3-to-1 and 2-to-1 margins in the third quarter of this year.

In Florida, there were seven such races for GOP seats, six in Ohio, six more in Pennsylvania, seven in Texas, and 10 in California, as the Democratic money haul was repeated – and reported – all around the nation.

“Michigan Democrats dominate in latest U.S. House fundraising,” the report said in the Detroit News.

“California Republicans’ fundraising eclipsed by Democrats’ huge hauls in Congressional races,” read the headline in the Los Angeles Times.

“Democrats take fundraising lead in Minnesota midterms,” wrote the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

“Midterm money: Democrats crush GOP,” reported CNN.

And the money wasn’t just coming in for races which are considered to be close.

“Green wave,” tweeted GOP strategist Liam Donovan.

The National Journal crunched the numbers from the latest FEC fundraising submissions and found over 90 GOP incumbents were out raised in the third quarter of 2018; Democrats said the number was 110 races where their candidate held the financial edge.

While that doesn’t mean any of those Republicans will lose, it is a flashing red light, especially since the story line is being repeated in so many states this fall.

Those who have tracked fundraising numbers for years made clear this type of edge for one party was not normal.

But history shows something very true about money in political races – the person who raises the most doesn’t always win.