Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) has outraised her main Republican rival, Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), for the fourth quarter in a row, and now has about $6.4 million cash on hand for her reelection fight.
{mosads}Landrieu raised nearly $1.4 million in the fourth quarter, her fourth-straight quarter topping $1 million in campaign contributions, and more than the $1 million Cassidy announced raising Tuesday. The Republican challenger has steadily been closing the fundraising gap each quarter, however — last quarter Landrieu about doubled his fundraising.
Cassidy now has nearly $4.2 million cash on hand, a sum, Republicans note, that’s nearly 10 times as much the amount raised by Landrieu’s GOP opponent at the same point last cycle.
The $6.4 million war chest is about $2.3 million more than she had in the bank at this same point last cycle, according to her campaign.
Her campaign also notes that all of the $6.4 million is available for use in the current leg of the campaign — not earmarked for a potential runoff. Donors can designate funds they contribute for use during a particular campaign period, including a potential runoff.
Under Louisiana’s “jungle primary” system, all candidates, regardless of party, are on the primary ballot, and if no single candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote getters head to a runoff.
Such a scenario is possible with Louisiana’s current Senate field — Cassidy is also facing a challenge from retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness, who threatens to split the GOP vote during the jungle primary and send the top two to a runoff.
— This piece was updated at 8:49 a.m.