Photo by Julie Fleming

Democrat Theresa Greenfield raised more money in the last off-year fundraising quarter than any previous Iowa U.S. Senate challenger, according to figures released today by the Greenfield campaign.

Greenfield, a Des Moines businesswoman and one of five Democrats vying to take on Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, raised more than $1.6 million between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. The campaign ended the fourth quarter with more than $2.1 million in cash-on-hand.

It was the second time in 2019 the campaign topped $1 million raised in a quarter, bringing in $1,113,761 in Q3. Greenfield out-raised Ernst in that quarter by $157,795. The senator has yet to reveal her Q4 fundraising.

“We’re thankful for the growing number of grassroots supporters who are helping create the momentum we need to flip this Senate seat,” said Greenfield, in a statement. “Iowa families are looking for a new voice in Washington after Senator Ernst left them behind by failing to protect health care for people with pre-existing conditions, threatening Social Security and refusing to stand up for our farmers and rural communities.”

Greenfield’s campaign said it has received donations from nearly 3,000 Iowans in all 99 counties, bringing the total number of Iowa contributions to more than 9,000. Ninety-four percent of her total donations were $100 or less. Online donations averaged $17, the campaign said, and it did not accept corporate PAC money.

“As a proud farm kid, I’ll reject corporate PAC money and always fight to put Iowans first,” Greenfield said. “Our working families face too many challenges to have a Senator who illegally coordinates with dark money and sides with big corporations and special interests at Iowa’s expense.”

There, Greenfield was referring to a Dec. 6 Associated Press article that revealed potential coordination between Ernst’s reelection campaign and the political nonprofit Iowa Values. Later in the month, Starting Line found that Ernst’s 2014 campaign paid the largest Federal Election Commission fine in Iowa history, at $14,500, revealing a pattern of skirting election law.

According to the Greenfield campaign, the candidate’s Q4 haul more than tripled what Ernst raised in the entire off-year as she first ran for Senate in 2013.

Though little attention has been paid to the Democratic Senate primary during the Iowa Caucus, the race should heat up quickly after Feb. 3. Greenfield’s fundraising has topped the field so far, and she’s drawn by far the largest number of endorsements in the race by state and national party activists and leaders.

By Elizabeth Meyer

Posted 1/9/20