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House Fundraising Winners and Losers

Love is a fundraising winner in the second quarter of this year. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Love is a fundraising winner in the second quarter of this year. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Now that all of the House fundraising reports are due, here is CQ Roll Call’s look at the winners and losers in the fundraising game.

Quarterly fundraising offers a quantitative window into the efficiency of a campaign — as well as a candidate’s drive to win. A number of challengers raised more money than incumbents this cycle, while other incumbents are racking up huge sums.

To see a full rundown of the House fundraising landscape, check out CQ Roll Call’s House fundraising chart. Even better: Bookmark it.


Winners
:

Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., in the 26th District
$442,000 raised, $801,000 in cash on hand

Garcia’s strong fundraising might be the best news he’s had in a few months. Two members of his official staff resigned during the second quarter amid an investigation into alleged corruption. But despite his legal troubles, he proved to be one of the top House fundraisers in the second quarter.

Former San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio, a Republican in California’s 52nd District
$488,000 raised, $470,000 in cash on hand

DeMaio raised nearly a half-million dollars to challenge freshman Rep. Scott Peters, a Democrat who brought in $363,000 for this competitive district. Peters still holds the cash-on-hand edge with $526,000 in the bank.

Attorney Ro Khanna, a Democrat running in the primary in California’s 17th District
$1.05 million raised, $1.75 million in cash on hand

Khanna’s eye-popping numbers make his fundraising report look more like a Senate campaign than a House bid. His opponent, Rep. Michael M. Honda, D-Calif., raised a respectable sum in any other context — $356,000. But the incumbent’s haul dwarfs in comparison to Khanna’s money, especially because Honda only has $375,000 in cash on hand. Read more on this race here.

Rep. Steve Southerland II, R-Fla., in the 2nd District
$465,000 raised, $477,000 in cash on hand

Southerland reported lackluster fundraising  in the first quarter, but he rebounded in the wake of his challenge from Democrat Gwen Graham. The daughter of former Florida Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham also had a strong haul of $377,000. This remains a top race to watch in the South.

Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., in the 12th District
$484,000 raised, $829,000 in cash on hand

Barrow vacuumed cash for his re-election while the GOP field continued to form against him. It likely helped that the Democrat spent the first five weeks of the quarter mulling a bid for the open Senate seat. Still, this is vital cash for Barrow, a top target for Republicans in 2014.

Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love, a Republican in Utah’s 4th District
$476,000 raised, $456,000 in cash on hand

Love is hungry in her rematch against this perennial GOP target, Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah. She brought in more than the incumbent, who raised a respectable $257,000 in the second quarter, and now she nearly matches his cash on hand.

Former Rep. Robert Dold, a Republican running in Illinois’ 10th District
$546,000 raised, $616,000 in cash on hand

Talk about coming back with a bang. Dold smoked his former foe, Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., in fundraising during his first quarter back on the campaign trail since he lost in November. To be sure, Schneider raised a strong sum — $387,000. But Dold surpassed Schneider in cash on hand — an enviable position for a challenger in a top race.


Losers

Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., running in the 31st District
$38,000 raised, $27,000 in cash on hand

Baca’s attempt to come back to Congress has been rocky at best. Earlier this year, he battled the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its favored candidate, Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, in endorsement wars. His five-figure fundraising shows that didn’t exactly go well for him. Read more about this race here.

Rep. Kerry Bentivolio, R-Mich., in the 11th District
$65,000 raised, $38,000 in cash on hand

This is Bentivolio’s second ugly fundraising quarter in row, and it’s the lowest haul of anyone in the Wolverine State’s delegation. That’s not including the six figures he has in debt from his last campaign. By the numbers, his district should not be competitive. But Bentivolio’s meager fundraising makes him an attractive potential target for Democrats, or a GOP primary challenge in 2014.

Former Miss America Erika Harold, a Republican in the primary for Illinois’ 13th District
$78,000 raised, $62,000 in cash on hand

Harold angered many Republicans by challenging Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., late in the second quarter. Yes, she’s had only a few weeks to fundraise since her announcement. But she should have been prepared for a stronger showing against Davis, a prolific fundraiser, to show her force in this potentially competitive primary. Davis raised $455,000 for the quarter and reported $702,000. Read more of this race’s fundraising context here.

Rep. Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., in the 7th District
$94,000 raised, $205,000 in cash on hand

In June, when Republicans were pushing Peterson to retire, he told a Minnesota outlet that their efforts only encouraged him to seek re-election. His fundraising says otherwise: Incumbents who raise less than $100,000 in a quarter are rarely looking for a fight.

Former Rep. Marjorie Margolies, a Democrat running in Pennsylvania’s 13th District
$185,000 raised, $160,000 in cash on hand

Margolies lagged behind her rivals in fundraising for this competitive and decisive primary, despite her connections with former President Bill Clinton and his family (two decades ago, she lost her seat by siding with Clinton in the 1993 budget battle, and her son is married to Chelsea Clinton). To be sure, Margolies posted fine numbers, but she will need more money to keep up the pace with her foes in the pricey Philadelphia media market. Read more on the context of this race’s fundraising here.

Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla., in the 13th District
$86,000 raised, $243,000 cash on hand

Young has not been a strong fundraiser in recent cycles, but he has not had a well-funded challenger either. That could change this cycle: Attorney Jessica Ehrlich raised almost twice as much as Young, $154,000, and reported $131,000 in the bank. That said, even Democrats  privately concede that Young’s name identification is invaluable in that district.

Emily Cahn contributed to this report. 

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