Democratic Challengers Outraise Vulnerable Republicans in Battlegrounds Across the Country in Q1 as Momentum to Flip Senate Continues to Grow

10 Democratic Challengers Led Republicans in GOP-Held Seats Last Quarter

DSCC Announces Nearly $11 Million Raised in March, Best-Ever Election Year Q1 in Committee History – More Than 50% From Grassroots Donations

Democrats running for Senate continued to build fundraising momentum in the first quarter of 2020, outraising vulnerable Republican incumbents and candidates in 10 GOP-held seats while making big cash on hand gains and breaking more fundraising records. The latest slew of impressive fundraising reports — across a Senate map that keeps shifting against Republicans — is the latest sign that Democratic candidates are running strong campaigns that will have the necessary resources to compete and win in November.

Over the first three months of the year, Democratic challengers outraised Republican incumbents or GOP fields in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Carolina and South Carolina. Democratic candidates in top battleground races like Iowa also set new records, while Democratic incumbents continued to stockpile resources for the general election.

The DSCC also had its best-ever Q1 fundraising haul with more than $28 million raised, after bringing in nearly $11 million in March and outraising the NRSC for the month. More than half of the DSCC’s fundraising came in from grassroots donations online, on the phones, and in the mail last quarter.

“As Democratic candidates focus on serving their states and communities at this time, unprecedented grassroots support is fueling their campaigns and our path to flipping the Senate continues to expand,” said DSCC spokesperson Stewart Boss.

Read more about Democrats’ latest show of fundraising strength in Q1:

ALASKA – Dr. Al Gross raised $1 million again last quarter and will report over $2 million in cash on hand, outraising incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan for the second time this cycle.

• Anchorage Press: “Q1 was another fundraising success for the Gross campaign, which reports a third straight quarter of at least $1 million raised, giving the campaign $2 million cash on hand”

ARIZONA – Retired NASA astronaut and combat veteran Mark Kelly raised a record $11 million in Q1, outraising unelected Senator Martha McSally for the fifth straight quarter in a row. Kelly now holds a $9.5 million cash-on-hand advantage, nearly double what McSally has in the bank.

• KTAR: Mark Kelly nearly doubles Sen. Martha McSally in 1st-quarter fundraising
• Arizona Republic: “Democrat Mark Kelly widened his campaign cash lead over Republican Sen. Martha McSally.”
• Arizona Daily Star: Mark Kelly widens fundraising lead over Martha McSally in big-dollar Senate race
• POLITICO Pro: “Kelly’s campaign said he had more than 300,000 contributors since his campaign launched last year, with an average donation of $43.”

COLORADO – Former governor John Hickenlooper outraised Senator Cory Gardner for the second quarter in a row — raising nearly $4.1 million in Q1, about $1.6 million more than Gardner, and bringing his cash on hand to nearly $5 million. More than 94% of contributions were under $200, and the average grassroots donation was $24.

• Colorado Politics: “Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Hickenlooper hauled in nearly $4.1 million in the year’s first quarter, outraising U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner by a wide margin”

GEORGIA – In the two months after joining the race, Reverend Raphael Warnock raised $1.5 million, outraising both unelected Senator Kelly Loeffler and Congressman Doug Collins in total contributions. Warnock drew support from more than 30,000 donors — with 95% of donations under $100.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The Jolt: Raphael Warnock outraises Kelly Loeffler, Doug Collins in U.S. Senate contest

IOWA – After outraising Senator Joni Ernst for the second half of 2019, businesswoman Theresa Greenfield continued to grow her fundraising operation with an impressive $2.2 million raised in Q1.

• @libmeyer: “New today in #IASen fundraising: Theresa Greenfield (@GreenfieldIowa) raised more than $2.25 million in Q1 of 2020, the largest haul ever for an Iowa U.S. Senate challenger in the first quarter of an election year.”

KANSAS – Dr. Barbara Bollier raised more than $2.3 million last quarter, once again outraising a fractured Republican field that’s been stuck in a messy and increasingly crowded primary.

• Kansas City Star: “The Mission Hills Democrat…more than doubled her fundraising in the fourth quarter of 2019, when she collected $1.17 million. It puts her six-month take at roughly $3.5 million. Bollier’s strong showing will likely fuel national Republicans’ anxieties about the race to replace retiring GOP Sen. Pat Roberts.”

KENTUCKY – Retired Marine Lt. Col. Amy McGrath raised $12.8 million last quarter, outraising the unpopular Majority Leader by more than $5 million. McGrath has already caught up to McConnell’s cash on hand, while forcing his Super PAC to reserve nearly $11 million in the state for fall TV ads at the expense of other vulnerable GOP incumbents.

• Associated Press: McGrath outpaces McConnell in fundraising for Kentucky race
• Open Secrets: McConnell falls behind in the money race as small donors flock to McGrath
• Louisville Courier Journal: “McGrath busted McConnell’s bubble when her campaign told The Courier Journal the retired Marine fighter pilot raised a whopping $12.8 million during the same period.”

MAINE – House Speaker Sara Gideon outraised Senator Susan Collins for the third quarter in a row, this time by about $4.5 million, and again outpaced her own “record haul” from the previous quarter to bring in more than $7 million in Q1.

• Bangor Daily News: Sara Gideon leapfrogs Susan Collins in fundraising ahead of 2020 US Senate race
• Portland Press Herald: Gideon leads Collins in fundraising for Senate race after $7.1 million haul this quarter
• WMTW: Gideon out-raises Collins in Senate fundraising

MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock raised $3.3 million in just three weeks — $2 million-edge over Senator Steve Daines who brought in $1.3 million over three months. .

• KTVH: “Gov. Steve Bullock, who launched his bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines last month, raised $3.3 million in campaign funds in the first three weeks of his candidacy, his campaign reported Wednesday.”

NORTH CAROLINA – Decorated Army veteran Cal Cunningham raised $4.4 million in Q1, outraising Tillis by nearly $2.3 million — more than double — last quarter.

• Roll Call: Tillis challenger Cunningham raises nearly $4.4M in first quarter — “The Cunningham campaign said 97% of its donations have come in increments of less than $200… Cunningham campaign manager Devan Barber said in an email that ‘the first quarter saw a major increase in North Carolina grassroots donors looking to get involved.’”

SOUTH CAROLINA – Former educator and South Carolina Democratic Party chair Jaime Harrison’s “small-donor army” helped him have another record-breaking quarter and outraise incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham by about $1.7 million. Harrison raised more than $7.3 million in Q1 and has more than $8 million in cash on hand.

• Charleston Post and Courier: Lindsey Graham outraised by Democrat Jaime Harrison in SC’s record-setting Senate race
• The Hill: Democratic challenger outraises Graham in South Carolina Senate race

TEXAS – Decorated combat veteran MJ Hegar raised over $1.6 million in Q1 — her strongest quarter to date and the latest sign of her increasing momentum in this race as she gears up to challenge Senator John Cornyn. In total, MJ’s campaign has received donations from over 42,000 individuals, including from nearly 200 counties across Texas.

• Dallas Morning News: “Democratic Senate hopeful MJ Hegar raised $1.6 million for the first quarter of 2020, putting her in a strong position in the July runoff… According to her campaign the average online donation is $23.”

NEW MEXICO – Congressman Ben Ray Luján raised more than $1.2 million last quarter, the fourth quarter in a row that he has raised more than $1 million for his Senate campaign, and once again outraised the Republican field.

• Albuquerque Journal: “Democratic Congressman Ben Ray Luján had his biggest fundraising quarter since announcing his bid for the U.S. Senate a year ago… His average donation was $30, according to his campaign, with the average online donation being $18.”

ALABAMA – Senator Doug Jones again outraised the entire Republican field combined in Q1, bringing in $4.2 million and reporting $8.3 million in cash on hand while far outpacing Tommy Tuberville and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

• POLITICO Pro: “Democratic Sen. Doug Jones holds a massive financial advantage” and “a significant edge over the two Republicans facing off in the primary runoff”

MICHIGAN – Senator Gary Peters had his strongest quarter to date, raising more than $4 million in Q1 — the largest quarterly haul for any Democratic candidate running for U.S. Senate in Michigan history.

• @PolarBarrett: “@GaryPeters campaign reports $4 million raised in the first quarter of 2020, touted as the largest haul of any Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan’s history. Campaign says 94% of donations were $100 or less. Also reported 60% increase in new donors.”

NEW HAMPSHIRE – Senator Jeanne Shaheen outraised the underwhelming GOP field again in Q1, raising more than $2 million and posting $7.1 million in cash on hand.

• WMUR: “According to the Shaheen campaign, the average first quarter contribution was $51, and 95% of the contributions were $100 or less. Nearly 20,000 individuals contributed in the quarter.”

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