Republicans significantly more effective at fundraising than Democrats in races for open U.S. Senate seats

Republicans vying for open U.S. Senate seats from Florida to Missouri raised millions more dollars than Democrats in 2010’s second quarter, filings show.
Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate in Florida, brought in more than $4.5 million, his campaign said. His Democratic opponent, Representative Kendrick Meek, raised more than $1 million, according to his website. The independent candidate, Governor Charlie Crist, hasn’t reported yet.
Republicans in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Pennsylvania also out-raised their rivals in the period from April 1 through June 30. A backlash against Democrats, who control Congress and the White House, may be boosting fundraising for Republicans such as Rubio, a former state house speaker.
“The wind is to their back,” Clyde Wilcox, a government professor at Georgetown University in Washington, said regarding the Republicans. Still, he cautioned that the political climate could change before the November elections, and that Democrats are working to make races more about local concerns than national issues.
Full story: Republicans Show Strength in Fundraising for Open Senate Seats – BusinessWeek