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Political parties

Republican Party's Fundraising Arm Surpasses Democratic Counterpart Amid Party Feud

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Republican Party's main fundraising arm, the Republican National Committee (RNC), has a significant cash advantage over its Democratic counterpart, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), with nearly five times the cash reserves available for the upcoming midterm elections and gubernatorial races. The RNC entered June with $72.4 million in cash reserves, while the DNC had $15 million. This cash crunch is severe enough that the DNC has considered seeking a line of credit to stay afloat, despite DNC officials insisting the party's finances are in good shape relative to the same period in 2017.

Key Takeaways:

  • The RNC has a significant cash advantage over the DNC, with nearly five times the cash reserves available for the upcoming midterm elections and gubernatorial races.
  • The DNC's cash crunch is severe enough that the party has considered seeking a line of credit to stay afloat, despite DNC officials insisting the party's finances are in good shape relative to the same period in 2017.
  • Over 65% of the funds the DNC collected from individual contributors through the end of May came in amounts of $200 or less, compared to about 47% of individual donations to the RNC.
  • DNC officials rely heavily on small-dollar donors, which officials point to as a sign of grassroots backing for the party and its policies.
  • The party's cash reserves have been depleted due to a public feud between DNC chairman Ken Martin and former vice chair David Hogg, as well as the departure of two top union officials.
  • DNC officials emphasize that the party's core mandate is to win elections, which the party has done consistently this year, despite internal distractions.

Statistics:

  • The RNC has $72.4 million in cash reserves, while the DNC has $15 million.
  • 65.1% of the funds the DNC collected from individual contributors through the end of May came in amounts of $200 or less.
  • 47.2% of individual donations to the RNC came in amounts of $200 or less.
  • The RNC has collected $15.8 million since February 2018, when Martin became DNC chairman.
  • In April, the DNC collected $1.3 million, compared to $4.1 million for the RNC.

Sources:

  • CNN (Fredreka Schouten and Arit John)
  • The New York Times
  • Politico

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