Dems seize edge in fundraising as they lay 2012 groundwork

House Democrats donated to their campaign committee at a higher clip than Republicans in February, helping give their party a roughly $300,000 fundraising advantage for the month, Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) outraised the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) by roughly $300,000 in February. Coincidentally, that’s about the same difference between Democratic and Republican lawmakers’ donations during the month. 

House Democrats, from members of leadership through the rank and file, contributed almost $870,000 to the DCCC in February, FEC filings show. 

Republicans, by contrast, contributed just over $570,000 of their own campaign cash to the NRCC last month.

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) led congressional contributors by transferring $250,000 from his campaign committee to the DCCC, while Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) dispatched $150,000.

They were the only lawmakers to contribute more than Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), the former Speaker of the House, who contributed $100,000 from her victory fund and brought in tens of thousands more with joint fundraising efforts.

On the Republican side, Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) contributions accounted for more than half the NRCC’s haul from GOP lawmakers over the last month.

The Ohio Republican’s “Boehner for Speaker” committee transferred just over $284,000 to the NRCC, and, like Pelosi, brought in much more in joint fundraising. Boehner’s political action committee (PAC), the Freedom Project, also contributed $15,000 to the NRCC, putting Boehner at just under $300,000 for the month.

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the chairman of the House Budget Committee, also made a major contribution to the NRCC, sending $110,000 from his campaign committee.

Other lawmaker contributions of note come from party and committee leaders.

On the Democratic side, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.) sent $60,000 to the DCCC; Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), the Budget Committee’s ranking member, who formerly headed the DCCC, transferred $50,000; and Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.), the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, sent $25,000, as did Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.), the ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Among Republicans, Rep. Spencer Bachus (Ala.), the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, transferred $30,000 to the NRCC, and Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (Mich.) sent $25,000. Rep. Ron Paul’s (Texas) Liberty PAC contributed $30,000 and Rep. Virginia Foxx’s (N.C.) campaign committee transferred $50,000.