WASHINGTON — Democratic candidates running for the U.S. Senate are pulling in far more campaign cash than their Republican rivals, new Federal Election Commission filings show, with Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff and Texas Democrat James Talarico setting the pace in this year’s fundraising race.
According to FEC data, Democrats account for eight of the 10 highest-raising Senate candidates so far this cycle. Collectively, leading Democratic contenders have brought in $574 million, well ahead of the $336 million raised by top Republican candidates.
Ossoff, the Democratic incumbent from Georgia, is the strongest fundraiser in either party. As of June 30, he had collected an eye-popping $77 million and was sitting on $42.5 million in available campaign cash.
Across his Senate campaigns, including his closely watched 2020 run, Ossoff has now raised nearly $98 million as a candidate.
Close behind is Talarico, the Texas Democrat, who has posted a massive $68.5 million fundraising haul and still has $21.5 million banked for the fight ahead.
Other major Democratic fundraisers include former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who has brought in $38.6 million this cycle, and former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who has raised $35 million.
Graham Platner, the controversial oyster farmer who ended his campaign earlier this month, also made a notable mark with $21 million raised — surpassing the $16.2 million reported by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
The Senate battleground map is expected to be fiercely contested, with Maine, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Alaska, Texas, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa widely viewed as among the most competitive races of the cycle.
Democrats are considered likely to retake the House in the Nov. 3 elections, due to polls and the historical trend of the party in power in the White House losing seats in the midterms.
But the Senate is a tougher call. Based on polls and incumbents, Republicans have an easier path to hold the upper chamber, but Democrats are running neck and neck with them in key races.
Democrats are generally eying Maine, Ohio, North Carolina and Alaska in particular as their easiest path to retaking the Senate.
But to win the upper chamber, they have to defend vulnerable incumbents, including Ossoff, who has proven to be a financial juggernaut.
While individual candidates are having a bonanza, the GOP’s official campaign arm is outperforming its Democratic counterpart, with $48.9 million compared to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s $38.9 million cash on hand, according to the latest financial disclosures.
Similarly, the Republican National Committee has $125.5. million in the bank compared to the Democratic National Committee’s $14.9 million.
Last month, the Supreme Court struck down an election law to pave the way for official party campaigns to coordinate with candidates.
That’s why Republicans’ massive war chest advantage could come in handy even if their candidates are running behind their Democratic peers on the fundraising circuit.
