by Thomas Catenacci
Democrats hoping to unseat Republicans in 10 key U.S. Senate races outraised their opponents by $34 million over the three month quarter ending June 30, Federal Election Commission filings show.
The 10 Democrats raised a total of $86 million compared to the $52 million that Republicans raised, Reuters reported. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky were outraised by approximately $5.6 million and $5.2 million respectively, FEC filings show.
“If they are defending these seats, that suggests there are really no offensive opportunities,” Henry Olsen, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank, told Reuters.
The only offensive opportunity for Republicans is likely the Alabama Senate race in which Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who defeated Republican Roy Moore in the 2017 special election, will take on former Auburn University football coach and Republican nominee Tommy Tuberville. The race is rated as “lean Republican,” according to The Cook Political Report.
Five of the races in which incumbent Republicans were outraised – Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Montana and North Carolina – are rated as toss up elections, according to the Cook Political Report. The Senate races in South Carolina and Kentucky are rated as “likely Republican.”
The races in Alaska, Georgia and Iowa were the others that saw Democratic challengers outraise incumbent Republicans, according to Reuters.
However, Republicans have an overall cash advantage, Reuters reported. Races in Arizona and Montana, where Democrats hope to unseat Sens. Martha McSally and Steve Daines, were the only races out of the 10 where Democrats held an overall cash advantage.
Meanwhile, incumbent Republicans are down in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina and Georgia, according to recent polls.
There are currently 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and 2 independents who caucus with Senate Democrats, making the difference in party representation six seats.
– – –
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
