Democratic House Candidates Out-Raise Republicans (Update1)

By Jonathan D. Salant

April 17 (Bloomberg) -- Democrats hold a big money advantage in this year's most competitive U.S. House races, including contests for 13 seats held by Republicans, Federal Election Commission records show.

The Democrats have more to spend in 26 of the 38 tightest races, as identified by Congressional Quarterly, the Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Political Report, three Washington-based publications that track the contests.

In the Senate, Democrats have out-raised their opponents in four of the eight most competitive races, including three for Republican-held seats that are opening up due to retirements.

Democrats have ``a crop of strong challengers'' and the Republican field is ``weaker than one might expect,'' said Linda Fowler, a government professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. That has created a ``dynamic to give Democrats a fundraising advantage that makes them look even more like winners,'' she said.

Representatives Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, and Mark Steven Kirk, an Illinois Republican, both had more than $2 million in the bank as of March 31. Two Democratic challengers, New Jersey state Senator John Adler, running for a seat being vacated by Republican Jim Saxton, and Jim Himes, opposing Connecticut Republican incumbent Christopher Shays, both banked more than $1 million.

Democrats are trying to increase their margins in the Senate, now 51-49 including two independents, and in the House, now 234-198 with three vacancies.

Cash and Control

``Campaign cash typically follows prospects for victory, and Republicans will be fighting an uphill battle next November,'' said Costas Panagopoulos, director of Fordham University's Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy in the Bronx, New York.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain said many Democrats who have out-raised their rivals are running in districts where Republicans could be helped by Arizona Senator John McCain as the presumed presidential nominee heading the national ticket.

``Democrats will need significant sums of money because they are trying to win in districts that are favorable toward Republicans,'' Spain said.

All of the Democratic freshmen in competitive districts -- led by Gillibrand and Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, who had $1.7 million -- had more money in the bank than their Republican challengers. Ten Democratic candidates began April with at least $1 million to spend, compared with four Republicans, all incumbents: Representatives Kirk, Shays, Steve Chabot of Ohio and Jon Porter of Nevada.

Republican Edge

Republicans have a fundraising advantage in 11 of the most competitive House races, including two districts where Democratic incumbents are retiring.

Four Republican incumbents had less money than their Democratic challengers: Tim Walberg of Michigan, Randy Kuhl of New York, Jean Schmidt of Ohio and Dave Reichert of Washington. The other nine Republican-held seats where the Democrat had more money are open due to retirements.

Democratic congressional fundraising committees and the party's leaders are also having success fattening their coffers. The House Democratic committee had $38 million in the bank as of Feb. 29, compared with $5 million for Republicans.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California raised $1.8 million during the 15 months ending March 31, almost double the $990,744 she amassed in the same period two years ago. Contributions to her political action committee have swelled by more than 50 percent, to $543,282 from $357,605.

Party Leaders

Party leaders often transfer much of the cash to the campaign committees to help in other races. To date, the top three Democrats -- Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina -- have given $2 million to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

That compares with $1.1 million the National Republican Congressional Committee has received from House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri and Conference Chairman Adam Putnam of Florida.

The Democratic fundraising edge makes it less likely Republicans will recapture the House in November, dissuading potentially strong Republican challengers from running, said James Bonham, former DCCC executive director.

Bonham said he had similar recruiting problems when Republicans were in control.

Narrowing the Gap

``It's darn near impossible to go and persuade the strongest candidate to give up their lives, their jobs, put their family at financial and personal and social risk and run for Congress when there is every indication they are going to continue to be in the minority,'' Bonham said.

To narrow the funding gap, Republicans in 13 of the 38 competitive districts have provided at least $50,000 in loans or donations to their campaigns, compared with one Democrat, Bill Foster, who recently won a special election to succeed Republican Dennis Hastert of Illinois, the former House speaker.

The fundraising gap underscores the difficulties confronting the party, said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University in New Jersey.

``Republicans are in deep, deep trouble,'' he said. ``The state of the Republican Party is not good.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan D. Salant in Washington at jsalant@bloomberg.net .

Last Updated: April 17, 2008 08:55 EDT

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