Staff Reports
As senators pack up and head home for their August break, the big question on many of their minds is, “How much money can I raise?” And according to the latest filings, it seems that some vulnerable Democratic incumbents are outpacing their Republican challengers in the fundraising game.
In 2024, nearly two dozen Democratic seats are up for grabs, with seven incumbents in particularly precarious positions. But despite facing an uphill battle, these candidates are pulling in some serious dough. Take for example, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a swing state won by former President Donald Trump in 2024. Brown managed to rake in a whopping $5 million for the second quarter of 2023, leaving his Republican challenger in the dust with only $2.2 million. It’s no wonder Brown’s seat is rated as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
Or how about Sen. Jon Tester of Montana? He also scored big with $5 million raised in the second quarter, breaking his own record for non-election-year fundraising. Tester has over $10 million on hand, while his Republican opponent, a former Navy SEAL named Tim Sheehy, has yet to make a splash in the fundraising game. It seems Republicans have their work cut out for them if they want to challenge these well-funded Democrats.
But don’t count the GOP out just yet. In West Virginia, Sen. Joe Manchin, a red state Democrat, may be flirting with a third-party presidential run, but he’s still managed to haul in $1.3 million. His potential Republican opponents, Gov. Jim Justice and Rep. Alex Mooney, have raised significantly less. With Manchin’s race currently ranked as a toss-up, it’s clear that anything can happen in the Mountain State.
As senators head home for the August recess, much of the focus for those up for reelection is fundraising.
Nearly two dozen Democratic seats are up for reelection in 2024, w/ seven incumbents seen as vulnerable, while only 10 Republicans face reelection.https://t.co/ZNAtgzpVmy
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 2, 2023
Overall, Democrats are touting their fundraising success as a sign of enthusiasm among donors, but let’s not forget the bigger picture. Republicans may be facing a challenging electoral map, but that doesn’t mean they’re down for the count. As the National Republican Senatorial Committee points out, money isn’t always the deciding factor in an election. And with an “extremely unpopular president” leading the party, conservative candidates may have more than just campaign funds on their side.
