Politics

Democrats Outraised, Outspent Republicans In Crucial States During 2023

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• Democratic parties in six key swing states massively outraised and outspent Republicans in 2023, Federal Election Commission records show.
• Republicans financially lagged behind Democrats in Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona.
• The Republican National Committee also raised significantly less money than the Democratic National Committee did in 2023. 

Democratic state parties outraised their Republican counterparts in six key states in 2023, according to recently released Federal Election Commission (FEC) disclosures.

The state Republican parties in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin and Georgia raised and spent less in 2023 than their Democratic rivals, according to FEC records. State Democratic parties raised $29.1 million across the six states in 2023, whereas Republicans took in just $7.3 million, according to the records.

Democratic state parties reported over $30 million in expenditures during 2023 compared to the $10.4 million in spending reported by Republicans, the documents show. The disparity becomes less severe when examining the cash-on-hand between state parties, in which Republican parties collectively held $2.3 million in assets while Democratic parties held $2.6 million

The fundraising and spending gaps in some states were wider than others.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party raised more than $15.7 million in 2023, almost 10 times more than their state-level Republican rivals, who raised just $1.7 million, according to the filings. Spending was comparably lopsided in the state during 2023, with the state’s Republican party spending a mere $2.3 million while its Democratic party spent $15.5 million.

The Michigan Republican Party raised less than a quarter of what the state’s Democratic Party brought in, reporting about $942,000 in fundraising while the Michigan Democrats took in more than $3.8 million, according to the filings.

The Arizona Republican Party, meanwhile, were outspent by the Arizona Democratic Party, according to FEC records. The Arizona GOP spent about $857,000 in 2023 while the state’s Democratic party reported $3.2 million in expenditures.

The Democratic parties of Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan outraised their Republican counterparts by more than double in 2023. The Nevada Democratic Party nearly raised twice as much as the Nevada Republican Party, as well.

Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada all have competitive Senate elections scheduled, according to The Cook Political Report. Meanwhile, control of the state legislatures in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Michigan boils down to just a few seats.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has well over twice as much cash on hand as the Republican National Committee (RNC) does, according to FEC records. The DNC raised nearly $120 million in 2023, compared to the just $87.2 million raised by the RNC.

2023 was the RNC’s worst fundraising year since 1993 when adjusting for inflation, according to Fox News Digital.

Under Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, the RNC spent more than $70,000 on floral arrangements, more than $250,000 on limousines and about $615,000 on donor gifts between October 20, 2022, and November 30, 2023, according to RedState’s analysis of FEC records. The RNC also spent far less on transfers to state parties, get-out-the-vote efforts and voter file maintenance than the DNC during that period, according to the outlet.

Former President Donald Trump suggested on Feb. 4 that McDaniel may need to step down, Axios reported. Sources familiar with the RNC said that McDaniel plans to resign, but she has since denied these claims.

McDaniel presided over a disappointing midterm cycle in 2022 and Republicans losing the Senate and the White House in 2020.

Several state parties are also plagued with internal disorganization and conflict.

The chairman of the Arizona GOP resigned after a recording surfaced of him allegedly trying to convince Senate candidate Kari Lake to not run. The Michigan GOP’s former chairwoman, who was ousted via a vote in January, claims she is still in control, The Hill reported.

Former Georgia GOP Chairman David Shafer was indicted in August 2023 on racketeering charges in connection with the alleged plan to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald was also indicted in December over a fake elector scheme, the Associated Press reported.

None of the state parties from Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania or Arizona responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.