With midterms approaching, GOP outmatched by Democrats on campaign funds

[Elmore Furth]

Source: Washington Post

By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 2, 2010; 3:52 PM

The Republican Party's strategy since early last year of lock-step opposition to the Obama administration's major legislative initiatives has proved to be less bankable than some party leaders may have anticipated.

With eight months to go before congressional elections, House and Senate Democratic candidates exceed in virtually every important campaign fundraising category. Democratic House lawmakers appear likely to reverse their seven-cycle record of being outspent by House Republicans, according to recent finance reports.

Democrats in both chambers are enjoying the traditional advantages of majority-party status -- and then some. They lead in donations by political action committees, by committees affiliated with the national political parties or with House and Senate leaders, and in individual contributions to incumbent lawmakers. In some instances, their lead exceeds what the Republicans had when that party controlled both chambers in the 2005-06 midterm election cycle.

An imbalance also exists, however, in recent PAC contributions, which historically finance roughly a third of House election spending and nearly a fifth of Senate spending. According to data from MoneyLine, 63 percent of all PAC spending in the current cycle has gone to Democrats, while Republicans garnered 36 percent.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/02/AR2010040202684.html