Campaign fundraising heats up in Delaware
Blunt Rochester and McBride farthest ahead
Campaign fundraising and spending is in full swing for candidates running this year to fill the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Tom Carper and Delaware's lone congressional seat, being vacated by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester as she runs for Senate.
Campaign finance reports showing 2023 activity were recently filed revealing some hefty federal election war chests.
Democratic state Sen. Sarah McBride has raised over $1.23 million since announcing her bid for Blunt Rochester's soon-to-be vacant seat on June 26, according to campaign finance filings. It's almost three times more than the other candidates in the House race have raised combined.
Democrat Blunt Rochester, with no apparent primary challenge for the Senate seat, has amassed more than $4 million in contributions.
Here is a quick overview of campaign finances for the Delawareans running for federal office in 2024:
U.S. Senate Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)
Total raised: $4,048,326 ($1,134,170 raised previous years)
Total spent: $1,730,722
Total donations from political action committees: $896,327
Total donations from individuals (excluding candidate): $2,016,480
Amount donated to campaign by candidate: $84
Eric Hansen (R)
Total raised: $421,688
Total spent: $21,620
Total donations from political action committees: $0
Total donations from individuals (excluding candidate): $9,820
Total contributions and loans from candidate: $410,000
U.S. House of Representatives Colleen Davis (D)
Total raised: $145,520 Total spent: $69,657 Total donations from political action committees: $10,000 Total donations from individuals (excluding candidate): $124,310
Total contributions and loans from candidate: $0
Donyale Hall (R)
Total raised: $4,661 Total spent: $204 (all spent on operating expenses)
Total donations from PACs and other committees: $0
Total donations from individuals (excluding candidate): $4,661
Total contributions and loans from candidate: $0
Sarah McBride (D)
Total raised: $1,236,066
Total spent: $385,889
Total donations from individuals (excluding candidate): $1,138,043
Total donations from PACs and other committees: $82,000
Total contributions and loans from candidate: $0
Eugene Young (D)
Total raised: $287,300 Total spent: $87,707 Total donations from PACs and other committees: $2,250
Total donations from individuals (excluding candidate):
$285,050
Total contributions and loans from candidate: $0
Where does the money come from?
Most campaigns receive a majority of their funds from individual donors, often through conduit services that process credit cards and donations for the campaigns. All four Democratic candidates in the House and Senate races have raised a significant portion of their funds through the conduit ActBlue, and the two Republican candidates have similarly gotten money through ActBlue's right-leaning counterpart, WinRed.
Other campaign money can come in the form of loans, typically made by the candidates themselves.
Republican businessman Eric Hansen, who is running against Blunt Rochester for the Senate seat, loaned his campaign $360,000 last year, according to his campaign finance filings.
While no other federal candidates from Delaware have loaned money or contributed to their own campaigns this election cycle, it is not unheard of. When Blunt Rochester first ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016, she loaned herself over $464,000.
Another major contributor to campaign funds is political action committees.
These groups often donate to multiple candidates across states and political races, so long as the candidate embodies the group's ideals. They can be based around labor organizations, operated by other party leadership or membership-based.
Neither Republican candidate on the federal ballot for Delaware received any money from political action or other committees last year, finance records show, while contributions to Democratic runners ranged from $2,250 for House candidate Eugene Young to almost $900,000 for Blunt Rochester.
WILLIAM BRETZGER/WILMINGTON NEWS JOURNAL
Where is the money going?
Campaign fundraising totals are not only relevant as potential predictors for voter support and outcomes; they're also tools that candidates use to expand their reach and move their campaigns forward.
Reports filed to the Federal Election Commission show that the five Delawareans running for federal office spend the majority of their funds on operating expenses like staff payroll and salaries; fundraising software such as ActBlue, WinRed or phone-banking technologies like Numero; and strategic consulting. Funds are also used to pay for food, travel and hotels while on the campaign trail.
In some cases, funds are contributed to committees dedicated to electing other officials of the same party, or given as donations to local organizations.
The next filing deadline for candidate campaign finance data is April 15.