Senate Democrats sit on big stockpiles of campaign money as midterm elections heat up

Fredreka Schouten | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats continue to amass huge stockpiles of campaign money as they race to defend seats from Florida to North Dakota in November’s midterm elections, newly released campaign figures show.

Six of the eight Democratic candidates in the most competitive races — those designated as "toss-ups” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report — had at least $5 million in their accounts at the start of this month. One of them, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, had more than twice that amount of available cash — $11.5 million.

Democrats face powerful crosscurrents in this year’s Senate elections. The party has the tough job of defending 26 seats to just nine held by Republicans. Ten of those Democratic incumbents are seeking re-election in states won by Trump.

But the energy of Democratic voters, angry about President Trump’s 2016 victory, has helped the party score big victories in recent special elections, and fill candidates’ bank accounts.

“This is a donor-rich environment for Democrats,” said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, which handicaps congressional races. “If you are a Democrat and you’re not able to raise money, you should rethink how you are doing things.”

A smattering of first-quarter fundraising figures made public recently demonstrate Democrats' financial strength:

►McCaskill raised $3.9 million during the first three months of this year and had $11.5 million in available cash. She's considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable Democratic incumbents as she seeks a third term in a state Trump won by nearly 19 percentage points in 2016. Her likely Republican rival in the general election, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, raised $1.5 million in that period and ended March with $2.1 million in the bank, according to his campaign.

►Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly, another Democrat seeking re-election in a state that Trump captured by double digits, raised $1.63 million in the first quarter and has $6.4 million in available cash. Three Republicans are vying in Indiana’s May 8 primary to take on Donnelly in the general election.

►In Nevada, where Democrats hope to oust Republican Sen. Dean Heller, Democrat Rep. Jacky Rosen collected $2.6 million, surpassing the $1.1 million raised by Heller. Heller, however, has more available cash: $4.4 million to Rosen’s $3.5 million.

►In deep-red North Dakota, Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp had $5.3 million in available cash. Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer, who entered the Senate race in February, had $1.86 million.

►In addition to McCaskill, three other Democratic senators in Trump-won states entered April with at least $10 million in stockpiled money: Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey at $10 million, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown at $11.8 million and Florida Sen. Bill Nelson at $10.5 million.

Democrats will need all the money they can get.

In Florida, the state’s Republican Gov. Rick Scott this month announced his candidacy to unseat Nelson. Scott, a multimillionaire who has plowed millions into his gubernatorial campaigns, already is airing $3 million worth of commercials statewide.

And outside groups, including those affiliated with the conservative billionaire Charles Koch, have run thousands of television and digital commercials targeting vulnerable Democrats, such as McCaskill and Donnelly, over their “no” votes on last year’s tax overhaul bill. The Koch groups have said they will spend up to $20 million on the tax-related advertising.

On Thursday, a trio of groups affiliated with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced raising $13.9 million during the first three months of his year to help McConnell retain the the Senate GOP majority. The groups had $34.4 million in available cash.

Steven Law, who oversees the McConnell groups, told Politico that his organizations are seeing a fundraising surge because there's "growing alarm among our donors about the widening fundraising disparity between some of these targeted Democratic Senate incumbents and their Republican challengers."

More: Exclusive: Republicans pour money into TV ads touting tax cuts in hopes of winning midterm elections