The state Democratic Party’s fundraising haul for federal elections was more than four times larger than the state GOP’s last month, and the gap between what the two parties spent was even wider.
The latest figures show Democrats were able to maintain their ongoing fundraising advantage over Republicans even as the party has transitioned to new leadership.
Federal Election Commission reports covering the month of October show the Democratic Party of Wisconsin raised around $707,460 for its federal account. Of that, $200,000 came by way of a transfer from the party’s state account. Meanwhile, the Republican Party of Wisconsin reported raising $167,359 for federal election efforts during the same period, with $83,030 coming from its state account.
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Democrats also outspent Republicans by more than 7-to-1. The DPW spent about $855,178 between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31, compared to $117,919 in spending from the RPW. At the end of the month, the state GOP had around $499,067 left in its federal account while the state Democratic Party had around $1,433,190 in the bank.
With the midterm elections less than a year away, both parties are vying for control of the U.S. House of Representatives by way of swing-seats like Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District currently held by U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, D-Prairie du Chien, and the 1st Congressional District held by U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville.
The state Democratic Party’s fundraising edge isn’t new, but the latest data shows it hasn’t ebbed under the party’s new chair, Devin Remiker. At the same point in the 2022 midterm election cycle, the party reported raising around $646,454 for federal races. During that period, the state Republican Party brought in around $239,616.
Democrats elected Remiker in June to replace outgoing chair Ben Wikler, who is credited with turning the party into a fundraising powerhouse during his six-year tenure. In February, Wikler came up short in his bid to lead the Democratic National Committee and announced he wouldn’t seek another term as state chair the following month.
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