Congressional Republicans continued to grow their cash advantage with six months to go before the November elections, April fundraising reports filed by party committees last week showed.

House Republicans again led all four campaign committees in the money chase, raising $8 million during April. The National Republican Congressional Committee reported $18 million in its campaign war chest, after spending $6.3 million last month.

The committee’s largest expenditure — $2.8 million — was again on phone banks.

Its Senate counterpart, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, ended last month with $16.5 million in the bank. The NRSC raised $3.5 million in April and spent $2.6 million.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which had been plagued by sluggish fundraising last year, kept pace with its GOP competition in April by raking in $3.1 million.

But Senate Democrats still face a large cash disparity, as they showed $7.4 million on hand at the beginning of May. The DSCC spent $2.3 million last month.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stands on better ground.

The DCCC ended April with $11 million in the bank, after raising $2 million last month. The DCCC was the only committee to spend more than it took in, reporting $2.8 million in disbursements for the month.

Both House committees received the majority of their itemized donations from individuals in California. Golden State residents contributed $148,000 to Democrats and $661,000 to Republicans.

House Republicans far outpaced the Democrats in Member giving last month.

Nine Democratic Members donated a total of $130,000 to the DCCC. The most generous were Reps. Mike Doyle (Pa.), Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.) and David Price (N.C.), all of whom gave $25,000 to the committee.

Meanwhile, at least 40 GOP House Members contributed more than $623,000 to the NRCC in April.

The top GOP givers were Republican Policy Committee Chairman Christopher Cox (Calif.) and Majority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.), who each gave $75,000 to the NRCC in April. Rep. Todd Tiahrt (Kan.) gave $50,000.

The NRCC also received a $28,500 transfer from the campaign committee of former Rep. Linda Smith (Wash.), and Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens (Alaska) pitched in $15,000 from his political action committee to help House Republicans.