These Democratic lawmakers built a big cash lead ahead of 2028

• Senators and House members can directly transfer hard dollars from their congressional campaign accounts into presidential committees.
• Raising massive sums of money isn't proof that a lawmaker is preparing a White House bid — but it's a pretty strong hint.
• For Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), it's a preview of his next two years when he could have half a dozen senators chasing their own goals, which might not align with the caucus'.

By the numbers: Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who remains officially "undecided" on a run, had the most cash on hand at the end of the first quarter: $22.3 million.

• Right behind him is Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who is on the ballot this year but is unlikely to face a serious challenge in a deep-blue state: $21.9 million.
• Two House members are next on the list: Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) with $15.5 million and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) with $14.7 million.
• They also face voters in November, but it's hard to see them needing to drain their war chests in safe seats.

Between the lines: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who visited New Hampshire in July but insists he isn't planning a bid, is further down the list with $10.8 million.

• Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who revealed plans this week to travel to New Hampshire in June, has about $3 million on hand.
• Fresh off expensive 2024 races, two freshmen senators — Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) — have considerably less. Slotkin has $2.4 million and Gallego has $1.9 million in cash on hand.

Flashback: Twenty years ago, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton had roughly $14.3 million in her Senate account at the end of 2006, according to contemporaneous reports.

• In early 2007, she transferred about $10 million into her presidential campaign.
• Then-Sen. Barack Obama, by contrast, ended 2006 with about $750,000 in his Senate account.