United states

Senate GOP fundraising failure

Top Republican Senate candidates have underperformed in fundraising in key races from Arizona to New Hampshire.

Why it matters: It’s as if the GOP’s big donors either don’t realize the Senate majority is in place or mistakenly think it’s a sure thing. And it’s clear they don’t like many of Trump’s candidates.

Context: Democratic Senate candidates post blockbuster results.

  • Republicans could be surfing a tidal wave of discontent about the country (75% wrong track in the Real Clear Politics average) and President Biden (39% approval).

What’s happening: In Arizona, the Republican front-runner, Blake Masters, raised just $827,000 in the quarter ($1.58 million in cash) to $13.6 million ($24.9 million in cash) for Sen. Mark Kelly, the incumbent of the Democratic Party.

  • Another GOP candidate, Jim Laymon, brought in $1.2 million ($1 million from him).
  • In Pennsylvania, another underwhelming fundraising performance by a major GOP Senate candidate: Dr. Oz raised $1.6 million in the latest fundraising report and put in $2.2 million of his own money — the end on June with $1.1 million in cash. Democrat John Fetterman, despite his absence from the trial following a stroke, raised $10 million ($5.5 million in hand).
  • In New Hampshire, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D) raised $5.07 million to just $538,000 for her GOP primary challenger, state Senate President Chuck Morse.

Two Republican Senate candidates had strong positions: Herschel Walker in Georgia ($6.2 million) and Adam Laxalt in Nevada ($2.8 million).