Democratic House, Senate campaign committees outraise GOP counterparts in April

The committees charged with getting Democrats elected to the House and Senate outraised their Republican counterparts in April, according to the latest batch of Federal Election Commission filings.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pulled in $11.9 million and finished out the month with $115 million in the bank, while the National Republican Congressional Committee raised $8.7 million and reported having $96.5 million on hand.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) narrowly edged out the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) in fundraising in April, bringing in $8.2 million to the NRSC’s $8.1 million, according to their latest federal filings.

The two Senate campaign committees are also running neck and neck in total cash on hand. The DSCC reported having $45.9 million in the bank at the end of the month, while the NRSC reported $45.1 million. 

Democrats are scrambling to preserve their paper-thin majorities in the House and Senate this year in the face of difficult historical and political headwinds. The GOP needs to net only five seats in the House and just one in the Senate to recapture control of Congress. 

Democrats are hoping that their pace of fundraising could help them counter Republican attacks over everything from inflation to rising crime rates. 

Still, polling paints a difficult picture for Democrats this year. According to the data website FiveThirtyEight, 45 percent of U.S. voters would rather see the GOP retake control of Congress, while 42.6 percent said they want Democrats to maintain their majority.

At the same time, President Biden’s approval rating remains underwater, raising the possibility of a voter backlash against his party in November.