Senate Republicans are panicking. Not only did Democratic candidates crush the fundraising of Senate GOP incumbents and challengers by a collective $30 million in the first quarter of 2020, but Democrats' fundraising advantage has accelerated since then, according to Politico.
A slideshow prepared last month by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) for GOP chiefs of staff and obtained by Politico ended on an image depicting a man on train tracks watching an oncoming freight train bear down on him.
The main driver of Democrats' advantage is a superior online game boosted mostly by the platform ActBlue. That and the fact that Democratic voters appear to be focused like a laser on ousting Republicans from power is reportedly imperiling the cash advantage that incumbents often ride to reelection.
During the meeting for chiefs of staff, the NRSC urged Republican senators to use a new online tool called WinRed, saying that failing to cut into Democrats' fundraising advantage could doom them.
Eric Wilson, a Republican consultant who led Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s digital strategy in the 2016 election, called the situation a "slow-moving trainwreck," adding, "The warning signs are flashing right now, and they’re ignoring it."
Second quarter results aren't out yet, but many Democratic challengers have already announced sizable cash hauls while Republican senators have mostly kept their cards close to their chests. From April through June, for instance, Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath, a retired fighter pilot challenging Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, raised $17.4 million; South Carolina Democrat Jaime Harrison raised nearly $14 million in his bid to unseat longtime GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham; and Iowa Democrat Theresa Greenfield raised $6 million in her race against Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. And those are in races that weren’t originally on the radar as particularly competitive.
Some GOP strategists are already chalking up the cycle to a learning experience for Republicans, saying 2022 GOP candidates should take note. "They have a simple choice: Adapt immediately or find a new job," Kevin McLaughlin, executive director of the NRSC, said in a statement.
Oof, stark. Also sounds like someone doesn’t want to be on the hook for a potential rout in November.
