House Republicans have faced a challenging month marked by a historic leadership change and internal conflict, resulting in a lag in contributions to the party’s campaign committee. The National Republican Congressional Committee reported raising a little over $5 million in October, according to a recent filing with the Federal Election Commission. This amount is about half of what it raised during the same period in previous off-year cycles.
This decline in fundraising highlights the NRCC’s financial struggles as it heads into a competitive election year. The committee ended October with $37.3 million in its coffers, trailing its Democratic counterpart by about $10 million. This is a significant decrease compared to previous years’ funds.
The leadership upheaval, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy being ousted and replaced by Mike Johnson, has further complicated the fundraising landscape. Johnson has inherited the critical role of chief fundraiser, although he initially didn’t have an impressive track record. However, following his appointment, the NRCC experienced a surge in online fundraising.
Despite these challenges, the NRCC has raised $23.2 million directly from individual donors this year and has also received significant support from PACs and joint fundraising committees. Following Johnson’s election, the committee saw a spike in fundraising, pointing towards a potential turnaround in their financial situation.
Johnson has already begun building his campaign finance infrastructure, launching joint fundraising committees to support vulnerable incumbents, Republican challengers, and party organizations. In the midst of these changes, the NRCC remains focused on financial stability and maintaining its position in the election landscape.
Overall, the NRCC’s October fundraising numbers also reflect the larger trends within the Republican party, as the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised comparable amounts in the same period, indicating widespread fundraising challenges for the GOP.
