In the first quarter of 2012, the Republican Governors’ Association (RGA) outraised the Democratic Governors’ Association (DGA), but the release of the DGA’s tax filings show that the RGA and the DGA were using different methods to calculate the total sum raised, and if you compare the two with the same methods, the RGA’s haul was almost double that of its Democratic counterpart.
The DGA announced that they had raised $8 million in the first quarter of 2012, while the RGA announced that it had raised $12.2 million. However, according to tax forms filed by the DGA, that $8 million figure included money raised by the associated super PAC and 501(c)4. Both of those entities have stricter rules governing how the money may be spent.
Without those numbers incorporated, the DGA raised just $6.6 million.
The RGA’s $12.2 million figure includes only the money donated directly to the association, not to any other associated funds, making the comparisons of the numbers somewhat misleading: In fact, the RGA raised almost double what the DGA did.
DGA communications director Kate Hansen told The Daily Caller, “We’re proud of our strong Q1 showing, having raised over $8 million across all DGA entities, reflecting the critical role Democratic governors are playing in job creation and expanding opportunity as our economy steadily recovers.”
A more accurate comparison could also be made if the RGA released fundraising numbers for its own associated agencies, but they declined to do so. The deadline to release the fundraising numbers for a 501(c)4 is not until next year.