Democrats gain momentum in money race

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO — Democrats raised more money than Republicans in 2017 in some key midterm congressional districts, even as the Republican National Committee (RNC) leveraged the power of the presidency to collect twice as much as its Democratic counterpart.

The minority party in Congress is showing early financial strength in competitive districts where incumbents aren’t seeking reelection, a Bloomberg analysis of Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings shows. In nine of the races where candidates had completed filings by late Wednesday, Democrats have collectively raised $16.4 million — more than six times as much as their GOP opponents — and have the best-funded candidate in all but two of those races.

The battle for dollars revealed by the latest disclosures, including many filed late Wednesday, offers early clues into whether the Republicans will keep control of both the House and Senate or whether Democrats can stage a comeback after their devastating 2016 losses. Democrats need a net gain of 24 seats to take the House and two to secure a majority in the Senate, an outcome well within the bounds of historical precedent in midterm elections.

A wave of Republican retirements in the House has opened opportunities for Democratic candidates. Incumbents generally start each election cycle with money in the bank, but where there’s no incumbent, all candidates start even. Because some incumbents didn’t announce their plans not to seek reelection until the fourth quarter, Republicans hoping to succeed them may have to work harder to raise cash.

In the California districts held by GOP Representatives Ed Royce and Darrel Issa, there are no Republicans on the ballot. Both seats are viewed as leaning Democratic by the Cook Political Report. A Democrat, Rebecca Sherrill, took in $1.2 million in the New Jersey district of retiring Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen, making her the top fundraiser. The only Republican in the race, which is rated a toss-up, raised $8,659. —