RNC Fundraising Efforts Surpass Democrats as Midterms Approach

WASHINGTON – As the midterm elections loom, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has established a significant financial lead over the Democrats, closing 2025 with nearly $100 million more than their counterparts. This financial edge is evident in the latest Federal Election Commission filings.

The RNC concluded 2025 having raised a substantial $172 million, with $95 million available in cash reserves. In stark contrast, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) reported raising $145 million for the year. However, they face financial challenges, beginning the new year with just $14 million in cash and $17 million in debt.

This financial disparity sets the stage for a potentially challenging election cycle. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party are facing the historical trend where the ruling party often struggles during midterms, providing an opportunity for challengers to gain ground.

In the battle for congressional control, the financial competition is less pronounced. The National Republican Congressional Committee, the primary campaign group for House Republicans, ended the year on a high note, raising $13 million in December, bringing their yearly total to over $117 million. Meanwhile, House Democrats were not far behind, collecting $115 million over the same period.

Both the House Republican and Democratic committees entered 2026 with approximately $50 million in cash reserves, according to the recent filings submitted to the FEC. A similar financial scenario is unfolding in the Senate races as well.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday the GOP’s overall fundraising haul left him “bullish” on the party’s chances to not only hold onto their razor-thin majority in the House, but grow it with more members.

“We’re going to have a war chest to run on,” Johnson, R-La., said on “Fox News Sunday.”

To be sure, the fundraising totals reflect the 2025 calendar year, before the onslaught of actions and events that have scrambled the nation’s politics in the first month of the new year.

From the U.S. military attack on Venezuela to the shooting deaths of two Americans protesting the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis, it’s not at all certain whether voters — and donors — will undergo lasting shifts in their attitudes toward the political parties.

“Momentum is on our side,” said Viet Shelton, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which supports the House Democrats.

He said the Republicans are “running scared” because the Democrats have better candidates and a better message for voters as the party tries to wrest back control of the House.

In the Senate, the National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $88 million in 2025, closing out the year with $19.3 million cash on hand. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised $79.8 million, but ended up slightly better with $21.7 million cash on hand.