Senate GOP fundraising flop
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Top Senate Republican candidates turned in poor fundraising numbers in key races from Arizona to New Hampshire.
Why it matters: It's as if big GOP donors either don’t realize a Senate majority is in reach or wrongly think it's a sure thing. And it's clear they don’t like a lot of the Trumpy candidates.
Context: Democratic Senate candidates are posting blockbuster hauls.
- Republicans could be surfing a tidal wave of discontent about the country (75% wrong track in Real Clear Politics average) and President Biden (39% approval).
What's happening: In Arizona, the leading Republican candidate, Blake Masters, raised just $827,000 in the quarter ($1.58 million cash on hand) to $13.6 million ($24.9 million cash on hand) for Sen. Mark Kelly, the Democratic incumbent.
- Another GOP candidate, Jim Lamon, brought in $1.2 million ($1 million of his own).
- In Pennsylvania, another underwhelming fundraising tally from a big-time GOP Senate candidate: Dr. Oz raised $1.6 million in the latest fundraising report, and put in $2.2 million of his own money — ending June with $1.1 million cash on hand. Democrat John Fetterman, despite his absence from the trail following a stroke, raised $10 million ($5.5 million on hand).
- In New Hampshire, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D) raised $5.07 million, to just $538,000 for her leading GOP challenger, state Senate President Chuck Morse.
Two Senate Republican candidates had strong quarters: Herschel Walker in Georgia ($6.2 million) and Adam Laxalt in Nevada ($2.8 million).
