President Donald Trump at the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual spring dinner in Washington, April 2. The RNC has raised close to $46 million this year. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo 2020 elections Republican National Committee raises $15.5 million in March

The Republican National Committee raised $15.5 million in March and spent almost as much — $13.5 million — as the committee prepares for the campaign for President Donald Trump’s reelection.

The RNC ended the month with $33.1 million cash on hand, according to campaign finance disclosures filed Saturday. It has raised close to $46 million this year, a staggering sum compared with the haul of the Democratic National Committee, which disclosed it has raised $20.9 million. The Trump campaign announced earlier this week it had stockpiled $40 million, adding to Republicans’ campaign war chest as Democrats enter a monthslong primary election.


The RNC spent $13.5 million in March and close to half of that money — more than $6 million — was paid toward expenses related to fundraising, such as telemarketing and direct mail. It is not uncommon for a campaign or committee to spend extra money to seek out new donors during the early stages of an election, with the hopes that later on those donors will keep contributing money.

One of the biggest recipients of the RNC’s money was Parscale Strategy LLC, a company linked to Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale. That company was paid $1.3 million for fundraising consulting in March.

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Several major donors wrote big checks to the RNC last month, including Michigan businessman Jon Cotton, who gave $355,000 to the committee, and GOP megadonor Robert Mercer, who has kept a low profile over the past year and a half but donated $4,700 to the RNC in March.

The DNC raised $8.2 million and spent $6.3 million in March. The committee finished the month with $9.3 million cash on hand.

But the DNC continues to have a large amount of debt leftover from previous election cycles: The committee disclosed having $6.6 million in debts and other obligations as of the end of March.

Major donors to the DNC included San Francisco real estate magnate George Marcus, who gave $200,000 to the committee, and Colorado businesswoman Patricia Stryker, who gave the committee $150,000.