Senate candidates must officially file their second-quarter fundraising information on Saturday, but early numbers released this week indicate Democrats have little to worry about so far.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, Missouri Democrat, took in the most in the second quarter raising over $3 million, her campaign announced. Ms. McCaskill is seen as one of the more vulnerable Democrats in a state that President Trump won by double-digit margins, but her early numbers indicate that she will be up for the fight.
Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have come out to help Ms. McCaskill fundraise. Ms. Warren is also up for re-election in 2018, but is widely considered to be “safe” in the deep blue state.
Democratic senators in other states that Mr. Trump won, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are also performing strong in the second round of fundraising.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio Democrat, raised $2.6 million in the second quarter alone, his campaign announced Monday. The total is double his last off-year election total of $1.3 million in 2011, and his campaign said it was the highest raised in an off-year election. He was first elected in 2006.
Sen. Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Democrat, also raised $2.6 million in the past three months with $5.5 million cash-on hand. Mr. Casey received donations from each of the state’s 67 counties and 93 percent were under $100 dollars, announced the campaign.
“Pennsylvanians know they can count on Bob Casey to fight for them and deliver results for workers, families, and seniors. Senator Casey’s fundraising pace and the broad support from hardworking Pennsylvanians demonstrate that the campaign is strongly positioned to compete in 2018,” M.E. Smith, Mr. Casey’s campaign manager told to the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Democrat, raised $2.5 million in the past three months bringing her fundraising total to $4.7 in the first half of the year, according to her campaign. It is the most-raised by a statewide candidate in Wisconsin in the first six month of an off-year election.
Republicans are largely playing offense on the Senate side with only two seats considered “vulnerable” for them in the 2018 election. Sens. Jeff Flake, Arizona Republican, and Dean Heller, Nevada Republican, are both early targets for Democrats.
Mr. Heller’s fundraising total is lower than some of the Democrats, but still holds strong at $1.4 million. Mr. Flake raised $1.5 in the first quarter, according to The Hill.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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