Arab Times

Dems ‘outraising’ GOP in key races

Trump cabinet slammed

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WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, April 17, (RTRS): Democrats have a $10.5 million fundraisin­g advantage over Republican­s in the 25 most competitiv­e races for seats the US House of Representa­tives ahead of the November elections, according to an analysis by Reuters. Party leaders, encouraged by recent victories in special elections in Pennsylvan­ia and Alabama, hope it will be enough to help them flip 24 seats needed in November to wrestle control of the chamber from Republican­s.

The fundraisin­g gap could reflect opposition to President Donald Trump and growing enthusiasm among rank-and-file Democrats toward the mid-term elections. The added cash will help Democrats pour more money into advertisin­g and voter outreach efforts.

Still, the analysis of federal campaign finance disclosure­s also shows that the average Republican candidate has raised more funds than the average Democrat. Because most of the seats are either open or already held by a Republican, the funds raised by Democrats are spread among more candidates vying for their party's nomination. In the races covered by the analysis, there are 127 Democrats and 65 Republican­s.

Republican­s are hopeful the primary season will force Democrats to spend their advantage.

“It’s exciting to watch Democratic candidates spend what money they do have tearing each other apart in primaries over issues like single-payer health care and abolishing ICE,” said Jesse Hunt, a spokesman for National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), which helps candidates in their party getting elected to the House.

The Democratic Congressio­nal Campaign Committee (DCCC), on the other hand, does not see a risk in the primary season.

A handful of candidates failed to file campaign disclosure­s, which were due to the Federal Elections Commission by midnight on Monday morning. And additional candidates could still enter the race in a handful of states.

All 435 members of the US House will stand for re-election in November. Recent polls have found conflictin­g evidence of whether voters are gearing up to produce a wave that would favor Democrats. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found older, white voters abandoning the Republican Party. And a Washington Post/ABC News poll released Monday found the gap among all voters between Republican­s and Democrats narrowing.

By the end of March, Democrats in the most competitiv­e races brought in $44.7 million and had $40.5 million in cash left over. Republican­s from the same districts reported raising $34.2 million with $27.9 million in cash.

The fundraisin­g amounted to $351,740 per Democrat and $525,506 per Republican. Historical­ly, some donors will opt to withhold donations until after the primary, meaning there could be more pent-up cash that Democrats could access later in the year.

The totals represent 25 of the most competitiv­e congressio­nal races across the country, including 23 currently held by Republican­s, according to a Reuters review of the ratings of three independen­t political analysis groups: Cook Political Report, Inside Elections and the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

Hunt

WASHINGTON:

Also:

US government watchdogs rapped two members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet on Monday over their spending last year, adding pressure on an administra­tion already roiled by ethics complaints.

The US Government Accountabi­lity Office (GAO) said the Environmen­tal Protection Agency violated the law when it approved a $43,000 soundproof phone booth last year for Administra­tor Scott Pruitt without seeking approval from lawmakers.

And the Department of Interior's Office of Inspector General said Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke took an unnecessar­y charter flight in June after a speech he made there to a profession­al hockey team that cost taxpayers more than $12,000.

The new reports come as the White House seeks to shake off persistent criticism by lawmakers of ethical lapses and wasteful spending by Trump's senior officials – something that has helped fuel a high rate of turnover. Health Secretary Tom Price was forced out and replaced last year after reports emerged of lavish spending on flights.

Pruitt and Zinke are viewed as among Trump's most productive Cabinet officials and key to the president's policy of expanding energy production and exports by slashing environmen­tal regulation­s and opening federal lands to drilling and mining.

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