Republican representatives in Congress may be starting to worry about how much money Democratic opponents are raising for the 2018 election.
Democratic candidates out-raised at least 40 GOP candidates in the final months of 2017, Politico reports, and the majority of Republicans have less cash on hand than their Democratic opponents.
While the trend is disconcerting for the GOP facing a midterm with an historically unpopular president, there are other factors other than straight dollar count.
Democratic candidates likely face a difficult primary fight to win their party’s nomination, and that will drain campaign coffers considerably. The national party has very little money to throw into state races, with several millions in debt and sluggish fundraising compared to the Republican National Committee.
The DNC currently has $6.5 million cash on hand and debts of $6.2 million, according to recent federal elections filings, compared to RNC’s $38.8 million cash on hand
“This is going to be the most challenging political environment since 2006, so you have to be ready,” Mike DuHaime, a New Jersey-based Republican consultant, told Politico. “And lot of these members came in after 2006, so for many, this will be the most challenging environment they’ve ever run in. And that’s going to prove difficult.”
Three Democratic challengers each raised more money than Virginia Republican Rep. Tom Garrett, and each have more money in the bank. Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California will face one of two Democrats who out raised him in the last quarter of 2017.
It’s not just Republican incumbents who are facing well-financed challengers. At least four Democratic representatives are facing Republicans who raised more money at the end of 2017.
ALSO WATCH: Trump Signs Tax Bill
One unknown factor is how the Republican-passed tax bill signed into law in December will be viewed at the end of 2018. Republicans hope that as voters see more money in their bank accounts both from the tax cuts and steadily increasing wages, they will be more likely to support the party in power.
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