The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the body charged with electing Republicans to the Senate, raked in $70 million in 2019 as the GOP works to protect or potentially grow its majority come November.

The $70 million haul, first reported by Politico and confirmed to The Hill, included $7 million in December alone and drastically exceeded its previous record of off-year fundraising. The committee’s previous record for fundraising in an off year was 2017's $42 million.

The hefty haul indicates that the party will be pumping money into its efforts to retain or expand its 53-47 majority later this year even as it funnels hundreds of millions of dollars into President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE’s reelection bid. At least five GOP-held Senate seats are considered to be competitive, while two or three Democratic seats are considered to be in play.

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"We're not resting on our laurels. We understand there's a lot of work ahead of us,” Sen. Todd Young Todd Christopher YoungSenate GOP eyes early exit Why the US should rely more on strategy, not sanctions Davis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump MORE (R-Ind.), the NRSC chairman, told Politico in an interview. “But clearly each of our members is doing their part traveling, being visible in their states, calling up fellow conservatives and asking them to join our team.”

“This Republican-controlled Senate is America's firewall as we try and consolidate all of the important wins that we've had over the last couple years and then look to build on those in the future.”

Full details of the NRSC’s finances, including how much it spent last year and how much cash on hand it has, will not be available until the Jan. 31 filing deadline with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the NRSC’s Democratic counterpart, told The Hill it does not have any updates to its 2019 fundraising. Its most recent FEC filing showed that it had raised $55.6 million through November of last year, indicating its yearly haul could rival that of the NRSC.

The DSCC has had a fundraising advantage in recent cycles in part due to the strength of ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s widely successful online fundraising tool. The GOP unveiled Patriot Pass last year to rival ActBlue, and both parties are backed by wealthy outside groups that are dedicated solely to winning the Senate majority.