It was close, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee edged out their Republican rivals in 2015 – raising $68.2 million last year to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s $62.3 million , according to a DCCC official.  

But, the committee that helps elect and defend House Democrats ended 2015 with $29.3 million in the bank, about $1 million less than than the NRCC. A Democratic official said the committee ended the year “with over $17 million more cash on hand than the Committee had at this point in 2011, the last presidential cycle,” and added it has no debt as the election year begins.  

In December, the DCCC raised more than $6.7 million, less than their counterpart’s $8.6 million which was buoyed by large cash transfers from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Roll Call reported earlier this week. Democrats, the official said, raised their money from more than 1.5 million donors who gave $200 or less.  

Strong committee fundraising can mean more national staffers on the road to help vulnerable candidates, more direct-mail to voters or early advertising buys. Or, as the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report’s Nathan Gonzales recently noted,  it can mean very little as a predictor of electoral success.  

Particularly in a political world dominated by super PACs, Gonzales notes that committee spending “is just one factor in complex races which include the national political climate and the strength and quality of the candidates.”  

Contact Yokley at EliYokley@RollCall.com and follow him on Twitter @EYokley.