Dem class of 2018's fundraising dominance
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Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.). Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
At least 14 frontline House Democrats raised more than $1 million in the third quarter of 2022, all but three of whom were first elected in 2018, Axios has learned. Nearly half of those raised more than $2 million.
Why it matters: These members — elected on a wave of anti-Trump sentiment in 2018 — are among the Democrats most vulnerable to being unseated by Republican challengers in the Nov. 8 midterms.
- Fundraising prowess was key to Democrats' wave election in 2018, when they netted 41 seats on their way to retaking control of the House.
- With the cash-strapped national party having to make difficult choices to cut spending across the map, campaign-level fundraising could play a decisive role in these pivotal seats.
By the numbers
More than $2.8 million:
- Rep. Elaine Luria (Va.-2)
More than $2 million:
- Rep. Pat Ryan (N.Y.-19)
- Rep. Kim Schrier (Wash.-8)
- Rep. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.-7)
- Rep. Sharice Davids (Kan.-3)
- Rep. Abigail Spanberger (Va.-7)
More than $1.5 million:
- Rep. Susan Wild (Pa.-7)
- Rep. Dan Kildee (Mich.-8)
- Rep. Angie Craig (Minn.-2)
- Rep. Tom Malinowski (N.J.-7)
More than $1 million:
- Rep. Tom O’Halleran (Ariz.-2)
- Rep. Mike Levin (Calif.-49)
- Rep. Cindy Axne (Iowa-3)
- Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-3)
Between the lines: As many as six House Democratic challengers raised more than $1.5 million in the third quarter, and another 11 raised more than $1 million, Axios reported last week.
- On the GOP side, at least 11 House Republican challengers raised more than $1 million.
- Incumbency is often a major driver of campaign dollars, but Democrats' 2018 wave was punctuated by their challengers' ability to out-raise GOP incumbents.
Zoom in: Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.), a member of the Jan. 6 select committee, brought in a whopping $2.85 million, more than any other frontline House Democrat so far.
- Her Republican opponent, state Sen. Jen Kiggans, raised over $1 million.
- Luria is far from the only powerhouse fundraiser on the Jan. 6 panel: Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), all of whom hold safe seats, have raised enormous sums for their party.
- Schiff and Raskin have also helped out the party in other ways, cutting ads for the DCCC, lending their names to emails and texts and attending fundraisers.
The big picture: Democrats' national campaign apparatus is getting outpaced by Republicans in the fundraising arms race, leading some Democrats to sound the alarm about their party's capacity to fund a successful campaign.
- The National Republican Campaign Committee and Congressional Leadership Fund had around $240 million in cash on hand as of last month, according to FEC filings.
- Their Democratic counterparts, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC, had just under $190 million.
What we're watching: The DCCC believes it needs at least another $20 million to hold the House and is asking the Democratic National Committee to double its previous $7.5 million donation, according to Punchbowl News.
- That's not all the DCCC is asking for: The group sent a list of campaign requests for visits from President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Cabinet secretaries, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
- The list was first reported by Punchbowl and confirmed to Axios by a DCCC official.
- "We appreciate their support and of course welcome every investment we can get to defeat MAGA Republicans," the official told Axios.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to note that the list only applies to vulnerable House Democrats, as defined by the Cook Political Report.
