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DCCC Hits Record-Breaking Fundraising Number for May

Bulk of funds came from grassroots programs

Health care has energized Democratic voters. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Health care has energized Democratic voters. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has raised a record amount of money for the month of May, according to fundraising figures provided exclusively to Roll Call.

The campaign arm for House Democrats raised more than $9.3 million last month, with more than two-thirds of the funds raised through grassroots online, phone and mail donations. The boost in funds comes after the House passed the GOP health care bill, and amid a closely watched special election in Georgia’s 6th District.

“The huge enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans has shown up in special elections, primaries, and with record-breaking small-dollar fundraising,” DCCC spokesman Tyler Law said in a statement. “Democrats are unified heading into the 2018 midterms, and we will continue to channel grassroots energy towards flipping seats on the largest House battleground we’ve seen in a decade.”

According to the fundraising figures, the DCCC raised $6.55 million through its grassroots programs, with $4.5 million coming from online donations, with an average donation of $19.

The amount raised through those programs appears to have surpassed the National Republican Congressional Committee’s total reported fundraising. The Washington Examiner reported the NRCC raised $6.5 million total during May, its best haul for May since 2005.

For the Democrats, they say they have seen a boost in off-year enthusiasm since President Donald Trump took office in January. The fundraising number for May is double the May 2015 figures, and 1.5 times the amount raised in May 2013.

The committee also reported that over the first five months of the year it has received online donations from 167,000 first-time donors, and added 2.4 million people to its email list. 

Also over the last five months, the committee has raised nearly $22.3 million in online donations, surpassing its total online donations for the entire year in 2015.

The numbers could be a result of an increased enthusiasm among Democrats, and the party will likely work to sustain that energy. But committee fundraising numbers are also not necessarily accurate indicators of which party will win on Election Day.

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