Fredreka Schouten

USA TODAY

Democrats are getting some high-profile help in their push to topple Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., from his powerful post.

Actor and producer Seth MacFarlane, who famously voiced the talking teddy bear Ted in the movie of the same name, donated $500,000 last month to Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC working to put the Senate in Democratic hands, new filings show.

In all, the group took in $2.7 million last month, a big jump from its $1.4 million haul in February, as Democrats prepare to wage an aggressive battle for control of the chamber. It started April with $6.8 million in cash reserves, according to a report filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission.

Senate Republicans, who have a 54-46 majority in the Senate, faced a difficult election year long before the blunt-talking billionaire Donald Trump became the GOP’s presidential front-runner.

Republicans are defending twice as many seats as Democrats this year, including several in states that voted for President Obama in 2008 and 2012. Now, some figures in the party's establishment fear Trump's divisive comments about women and some minority groups could alienate big parts of the the electorate in November and jeopardize the Senate and other down-ballot races if he captures the White House nomination.