Members Cough Up $4.3M for DCCC
House Democrats’ campaign arm brings in big first-quarter haul as more members pay dues and raise dollars
House Democrats’ campaign arm raised an unprecedented $22.6 million in the first quarter of this year, thanks in large part to member contributions, committee officials say.
According to fundraising figures provided to CQ Roll Call, $4.3 million, or 19 percent, of what the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised so far this year came directly from caucus dues.
The committee flaunted individual totals in its regular dues tally, disseminated last week on Capitol Hill. The widely circulated spreadsheet tally serves as the committee’s report card for the caucus: It hails members who contribute and points out their colleagues who don’t.
But in the first three months of this year, more than half of the House Democratic Caucus raised money or contributed to the DCCC, including 92 percent of freshmen.
The DCCC raised $3 million more in the first quarter of this year than it did in the same time period in the 2012 cycle. This most recent tally includes the $10.2 million the committee raised in March. It will report $8.9 million in the bank at the end of that month, plus $4.5 million in debt.
“Our record-breaking fundraising success this quarter has been built on our members stepping forward and our grass-roots stepping up,” DCCC Chairman Steve Israel of New York said in a statement.
House Democrats who contributed to and raised large sums for the DCCC last quarter include:
• Xavier Becerra of California, who paid $400,000 in dues and raised $246,000 for the committee.
• James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, who paid $200,000 in dues and raised $353,000 for the committee.
• Joseph Crowley of New York, who paid $115,000 in dues and raised $295,000 for the committee.
• Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, who paid $280,000 in dues and raised $337,000 for the committee.
• Nita M. Lowey of New York, who paid $300,000 in dues and raised $440,000 for the committee.
• Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who paid $250,000 in dues and raised $7 million for the committee.
• Jared Polis of Colorado, who paid $100,000 in dues and raised $109,000 for the committee.
• C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, who paid $100,000 in dues.
• George Miller of California, who paid $40,000 in dues and raised $395,000 for the committee.
• Anna G. Eshoo of California, who paid $50,000 in dues and raised $290,000 for the committee.
In addition, three Democrats paid their dues to the committee in full for the 2014 cycle: Henry Cuellar of Texas and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland gave $300,000 each. Israel gave $450,000 in dues; he also raised $4.1 million for the committee he chairs.
The committee’s online program continues to grow, raising 83 percent more in the first quarter than it did in the first three months of 2012. The DCCC raised $1 million online in January, $1.5 million online in February and $2.2 million online in March, according to figures provided by the DCCC.
Books closed for first-quarter fundraising at the end of March. Federal campaigns must report their finances by April 15. Congressional campaign committees have a handful of additional days to file their monthly report.