The NationalJournal.com writes:
To the many warning signs Democrats face in the 2010 midterm elections, add this: New fundraising reports show Republicans outraised Democrats in the third quarter in all eight open Senate races on next fall’s ballot.
Reasons for the GOP’s success vary in this narrow, but important, category. While it isn’t the only indicator of party strength and momentum, fundraising in races without incumbents does offer an unfiltered prism through which to gauge the enthusiasm and organization of each party’s base.
And for now, by that measure, the GOP’s base is more organized and enthusiastic — at least, about opening their wallets.
The biggest disparity surfaced in Florida, where Gov. Charlie Crist, perhaps the GOP’s biggest Senate recruiting coup in 2010, continued to dominate the money chase, taking in $2.5 million and outraising Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) by more than 3-1. Even more troubling for Democrats: Crist’s primary challenger, Marco Rubio (R), raised an additional $1 million of GOP money. (Of course, Rubio’s fundraising is also troubling for Crist).
It was déjà vu, of sorts, in Kentucky, where Ron Paul’s son Rand posted a surprisingly impressive $1 million haul. That’s almost as much as the two top Democratic candidates raised combined. Paul even outraised his GOP rival, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who enjoys strong support from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The younger Paul, a surgeon, took a page out of his father’s playbook, conducting Internet fundraising blitzes known as “money bombs.”
Rest the rest here.
Related posts: