Republican National Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Steve Daines expresses concerns over the party's fundraising gap with Democrats but remains confident in securing Senate majority in November.
In the intensifying race for control of the Senate, Republican National Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chair Sen. Steve Daines of Montana is sounding the alarm over a significant fundraising disparity with Democrats while expressing optimism about the GOP's prospects for reclaiming the majority.
Daines, speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting in Las Vegas, emphasized the urgency of addressing the funding gap to equip GOP candidates with the resources necessary to succeed in their campaigns.
GOP Fundraising Lags Behind Democrats, But Daines Predicts Senate Majority
"We have the right candidates," Daines asserted. "Let's get them the resources they need to win."
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Daines acknowledged the fundraising challenge facing Republicans, describing it as a "concern."
GOP Fundraising Lags Behind Democrats, But Daines Predicts Senate Majority
"There are winnable races right now that we may not be able to bring across the finish line because of lack of resources," Daines underscored. "We are literally two months away from the most consequential election of my lifetime."
Data from AdImpact reveals a stark contrast in advertising spending, with Democrats and supporting outside groups holding a significant advantage in post-Labor Day ad reservations in four key battleground states—Wisconsin, Nevada, Michigan, and Arizona. This has presented a substantial obstacle for GOP candidates, some of whom are already facing challenges with name recognition and the complexities of running against incumbents.
GOP Fundraising Lags Behind Democrats, But Daines Predicts Senate Majority
Overall, Democrats possess a financial edge over their Republican Senate counterparts, with planned spending of nearly $348 million in pivotal races across the country compared to the GOP's $255 million. The disparity is particularly evident in the four battlegrounds mentioned earlier, where Democratic ad reservation spending at least doubles that of their Republican opponents.
While the relatively modest GOP expenditures in these states are attributed to prioritized pro-Republican Senate buys in Montana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, their opponents have still secured similarly large planned spending.
GOP Fundraising Lags Behind Democrats, But Daines Predicts Senate Majority
The surge in Democratic Party enthusiasm and fundraising since Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Biden at the helm of the party's 2024 presidential ticket has fueled the financial disparity.
"You just saw in the last 48 hours Kamala Harris announce she’s directing $25 million of her presidential campaign dollars down-ballot including $10 million for Senate Democrats," Daines highlighted. "There’s not many things Kamala Harris does well but one thing she does well is raise money. So this does have us concerned."
However, Daines identified a positive aspect in Harris replacing the aging Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee.
"What it does is it helps us take the age issue off the table because that was one of the reasons that Biden did so poorly," Daines explained. "It was more about his age than anything else. This now gets us laser focused on policy. This is going to be a policy contrast election."
Democrats hold a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate, making Republicans optimistic about their chances of regaining control this year. The favorable election map includes Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs.
One such seat is in deep red West Virginia, which Trump carried by nearly 40 points in 2020. With moderate Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Joe Manchin retiring, the seat appears poised to flip to the GOP.
Republicans are also targeting Democratic-held seats in Daines' home state of Montana and Ohio, two states Trump won comfortably four years ago.
Additionally, Democrats face an unexpected challenge in blue-state Maryland, where former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan's late entry into the Senate race has injected uncertainty into a state previously considered safe territory. Hogan left office with high approval ratings.
Despite the fundraising gap, Daines expressed unwavering confidence in the GOP's ability to win back the Senate majority.
"We will win the Senate majority," Daines told Fox News. "Fifty-one is the number that we want to get to. Clearly, there’s an opportunity to get beyond that, but 51 is the number we’ve got to get to."
