Senate Republican campaign arm raises $28 million in second quarter

By Ryan Nobles, CNN

Republicans said they raked in a record $10.5 million in June for their fight to win back control of the US Senate in 2022, part of a $28 million haul for the second quarter of 2021, according to figures provided to CNN.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $5 million more in the second quarter than they did in quarter one. By contrast, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, which has yet to release its second quarter numbers, raised $22.7 million in the first. The record June led to a total of $51.2 million total raised for 2021 and Republicans now has $25 million cash on hand with no debt. Republicans say the previous June record was $5.7 million the group raised in 2019.

What has been unique about this cycle’s fundraising effort for Republicans is the way in which they have raised the money. The NRSC has invested heavily in an online fundraising. That led to the recruitment of 16 thousand new donors in the month of June and more than 150 thousand donations under $200.

“The NRSC is making historic investments in digital fundraising that are already paying dividends and will continue to throughout the 2022 cycle,” NRSC Chairman Rick Scott, a senator from Florida, said in a statement to CNN.

The NRSC is already making plans to double down on that approach. They are taking a chunk of the money raised and re-investing it to expand their digital fundraising operation.

“Our early fundraising success will allow us to invest more in list building for our digital fundraising program in the month of July than was invested the entire 2020 cycle. We know that every dollar spent now results in a 5x+ return down the road,” said NRSC spokesman Chris Hartline. “This not only will help bolster our digital fundraising program for the 2022 cycle, but it’s the most valuable asset we can continue to build and grow for cycles to come.”

The NRSC is taking their cues from former President Donald Trump, whose 2020 campaign relied heavily on digital fundraising. Scott recruited several members of Trump’s digital fundraising team to help reshape the committee’s approach. The committee also relies heavily on Trump’s image and messaging in their email solicitations to encourage his supporters to give.

Individual Republican senators are raising millions of dollars as well. GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is not up for reelection until 2024, but could be mount another run for President announced that he pulled in $5 million in the second quarter and has more than $6 million cash on hand. Sen. Marco Rubio who faces a tough 2022 reelection fight in Florida raised more than $4 million in quarter two.

Rubio’s seat is one of six Republican held seats in competitive states on the 2022 map. In four of those states, the GOP incumbents have decided not to run for reelection. Democrats are defending four seats in swing states, and all their incumbents are running again.

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