House Democrats’ Campaign Arm Raised $12 Million in June
Wall Street Journal
By Rebecca Ballhaus
July 15, 2016
House Democrats’ campaign arm raised $12 million in June, bringing their total haul for the second quarter to $28.7 million, a spokeswoman said, a historic level of fundraising in a presidential election year in which Democrats do not control the House.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s June receipts marked an increase of about 50% from May, when the committee raised $8 million. It ended June with $57 million in the bank.
“Supporters across the country are uniting to ensure that Democrats have the resources necessary to take the fight to House Republicans, who continue to fall in line with Donald Trump, instead of standing up to him,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, a New Mexico congressman.
The DCCC’s Republican counterpart has not yet posted its June fundraising details, but the committee has lagged behind Democrats for the past two months. In May, the National Republican Congressional Committee raised about $2 million less than the Democrats.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, is a prolific fundraiser who brought in $15.6 million for his campaign, affiliated leadership PAC, and the party in the second quarter of 2016. He transferred $5.4 million to the NRCC in June.
Democrats are unlikely to regain control of the House in November, but the party is hoping that presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump’s controversial candidacy will help Democrats in House and Senate races.
The DCCC began airing ads in May tying Republican House candidates to Mr. Trump’s policy proposals and controversial remarks, including calling Mexican immigrants “rapists” and calling for cuts to federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the women’s health organization.