DEMS LEAD IN DONATIONS
Fetterman raised $2.5M over quarter
Fundraising for Pa. Senate race falling short for GOP.
Republican worries that the party lacks a standout candidate in Pennsylvania’s crucial U.S. Senate race may only intensify after the latest round of campaign fundraising reports filed Thursday.
None of the Republican hopefuls in the nationally watched contest cracked $600,000 in donations for the quarter that ended June 30. And the two GOP contenders who have received the most attention, Jeff Bartos and Ohio Township’s Sean Parnell, were outdone by the far lesserknownKathy Barnette.
By comparison, three Democrats either in the race or likely to join were near or above the $1 million mark, led by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s $2.5 million haul. With some Republicans jittery about the strength of their field, the modest GOP showings could send a welcoming signal to potential candidates still considering a run.
Money is only one factor in a campaign, but it’s a significant one in a sprawling, politically competitive state with numerous media markets — including Philadelphia, one of the country’s most expensive. The Pennsylvania contest is expected to attract massive spending as one of a handful that will decide which party controls the Senate, and with it the fate of President Joe Biden’sagenda after 2022.
The primary is months away, but political insiders use
fundraising as an early gauge of enthusiasm for candidates. Here’s what we learned from the reports covering April, Mayand June.
Republican surprises
Mr.Bartos and Mr. Parnell, who lost a close congressional race in November to Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, have been seen as the top GOP candidates as Republicans try to keep the seat held by Sen. Pat Toomey, who isn’t seeking reelection.
But Montgomery County’s Ms. Barnette, whose previous campaign experience was a long-shot and unsuccessful congressional run last year, drew more support from donors than either of them. The author, vocal Trump supporter and occasional Fox News guest raised $595,000, a relative surprise that could winher more attention.
Mr. Bartos, a Montgomery County real estate developer who ran for lieutenant governor in 2018, made up for that by putting in $440,000 of his own money, allowing him to report about $1 million in receipts. But only $557,000 came fromother individuals.
Money spends the same no matter where it comes from, and Mr. Bartos had $1.85 million on hand, by far the most in the GOP field. But for such a vital race, it’s a warning sign that he and other Republicans haven’t generated more financialsupport.
Mr.Parnell, a former Army Ranger, couldn’t translate his campaign launch into big money. He took in $561,000, although he had less time to accumulate it after joining the race May 11. The $597,000 in his account is less than a third ofwhat Mr. Bartos reported.
Ms. Barnette had less cash on hand, $476,000, than Mr. Parnell or Mr. Bartos, after spending a third of what she raised. She spent heavily on fundraising consultants, digital advertising and donations to Republican county parties and other GOP groups — a sign of a candidate trying to buildher campaign and ties to theestablishment.
Carla Sands, Mr. Trump’s former ambassador to Denmark and a recently declared candidate, didn’t have to file a report because she joined the race after the quarterly deadline.
LG: Lotsa Green
Mr. Fetterman’s $3.07 million in the bank gives him unrivaledfinancial muscle.
It also reflects how much has changed since 2016 when he ran an underdog Senate campaign that generated buzz but couldn’t match the financial power of Democratic rivals. Now he’s seen as the early Democratic front-runner.
His cash-on-hand figure is almost five times the amount reportedby his next closest declared competitor, Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, although Mr. Fetterman has been in the raceseveral months longer.
Gov. Tom Wolf says he won’t endorse anyone for Senate — including his lieutenant,Mr. Fetterman
Mr. Fetterman raised $2.5 million in the quarter, spending about $1.4 million. A significant amount is going to staff and consulting, money his campaign says will help him build a robust operation thatcan go the distance.
Roughly 70% of Mr. Fetterman’s second-quarter money — $1.8 million — came from donors who contributed less than $200. That means he can keep going back to those supporters for more before they hitfederal donation limits, the same strategy that made Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a smalldollar juggernaut in his presidentialcampaigns.
The first report from Dr. Arkoosh established her as the clear No. 2 when it comes to financial might — although that could change if Mr. Lamb joins the Democratic contest, asexpected.
Dr. Arkoosh, an anesthesiologist,raised about $1 million and had $632,000 on hand after
her first three months in the campaign. For a top-tier candidate with major backing, but who has never run statewide, party insiders saw that as a solid but not overwhelming start. It’s almost exactly the same as Democrats’ 2016 nominee, Katie McGinty, raisedin her first quarter.
But Dr. Arkoosh, like Ms. McGinty then, also has the support of Emily’s List, a Democratic women’s group that can spend heavily to aid itschosen candidates.
Another Democrat, State
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia, continues to lag far behind his main rivals. He raised about $500,000, an improvement over his first quarter but spent most of what he raised. He had $281,821 on hand, only $65,000 more than atthe end of March.
For a charismatic candidate who receives significant media attention, the modest money is a red flag for his prospects.