NRCC Posts Strong October Fundraising After Boehner Steps Down

Posted November 20, 2015 at 1:11pm

Despite initial concerns that former Speaker John A. Boehner’s departure would affect fundraising , the National Republican Congressional Committee raised $5.1 million in the first month after he announced his retirement .

Although Boehner didn’t actually hand over the gavel until the end of the month, October represented the transition period between him and Speaker Paul D. Ryan, and marked the strongest off-year October of revenue ever for the NRCC, leaving it with $22.9 million in the bank.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $5.4 million in October and has more than $24.4 million cash on hand.

Democrats outraised Republicans on the Senate side, too, with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raising $3.8 million compared to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s $2.3 million.

Despite his committee being outraised by about $1.5 million, NRSC Chairman Roger Wicker remains optimistic that fundraising will pick up once the crowded presidential field winnows.

“Once the field gets a little more settled on the presidential side, I think people will realize that in order for any president to be successful he needs to have a Senate to go along with the almost-certain win we’re going to have in the House,” the Mississippi Republican told CQ Roll Call Thursday.

“There are a lot of demands on funds out there with the presidential candidates, all of them still raising money — most of them with a super PAC and then there are these independent Super PACS,” Wicker said.

That’s the case in Florida, where according to multiple GOP operatives who spoke to CQ Roll Call last month, the pressure to give to the presidential campaigns of former Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio is limiting what resources are available for the state’s Republican Senate candidates.

“We’re defending 24 seats and trying to pick up two or three others,” Wicker said in the brief interview. “It is a daily joint effort to make sure that our candidates are well-funded, and if they are, I think we’re in good shape.”

Democrats are defending 10 Senate seats and need to net five to win a majority. They have a 30-seat deficit in the House.

Wicker said he was “pleased with where we are” on fundraising at this point in the cycle.

“I also think that our friends on the Democratic side have a lot of debt,” Wicker said. “So, we’re doing pretty well.”

“We’re certainly in a position to hold the majority. We think we’re in position to add a seat or two,” he said.

Emily Cahn contributed to this report.

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