Senate GOP campaign arm hauls in $75M over past month
Much of the fundraising will be spent in Georgia's twin Senate runoff elections
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EXCLUSIVE – The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) saw a surge in fundraising over the past month.
NRSC Chair Sen. Todd Young of Indiana told Senate Republicans on Tuesday that the campaign arm of the Senate GOP brought in an "unprecedented" $75 million in fundraising from Oct. 15 through Nov. 23, a source familiar with the figures told Fox News.
GOP EFFORTS TO RAISE BIG BUCKS FOR GEORGIA SENATE RUNOFFS IS A 50-STATE EFFORT
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While some of that cash was spent in the final two-and-a-half weeks of the 2020 elections, much of the fundraising is being targeted toward Georgia's twin Senate runoff elections on Jan. 5, which will determine whether the GOP holds on to its majority in the chamber or if the Democrats will control both the House and Senate as well as the White House.
Young announced the fundraising during the Senate Republicans weekly caucus luncheon, which was conducted by conference call due to COVID-19 health concerns.
The senator emphasized how important it is for Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, the two GOP candidates in the runoff elections, to have the resources needed "to bring home two wins" for Senate Republicans, according to the source.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are working hand in glove with the Perdue and Loeffler teams to make sure we are successful, and if we win these races, we save the country," Young emphasized on the call.
The money is separate from the cash being hauled in by the Georgia Battleground Fund, which was set up under the direction of Young and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to support Perdue and Loeffler.
Last month, the NRSC highlighted that it was making “major investments” in communications, data, field and digital operations in the twin contests.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has also poured plenty of resources and money into the Georgia showdowns.
SENATE REPUBLICANS SHOWCASE MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN GEORGIA RUNOFFS
The campaigns, the political parties, and outside groups such as super PACs are dishing out massive amounts of money into the runoffs. Nearly $300 million has already been spent to run or reserve time for ads.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The current balance of power for the next Senate coming out of this month’s elections is 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats. This means Democrats must win both of Georgia’s runoff elections to make it a 50-50 Senate. If that occurs, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be the tie-breaking vote, giving her party a razor-thin majority in the chamber.
In Georgia, where state law dictates a runoff if no candidate reaches 50% of the vote, Perdue narrowly missed avoiding a runoff, winning 49.75% of the vote. Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff trailed by roughly 87,000 votes.
In the other race, Loeffler captured nearly 26% of the vote in a whopping 20-candidate special election to fill the final two years of the term of former GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson. Democratic candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock won nearly 33% of the vote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MORE THAN A QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS ALREADY SPENT ON ADS IN GEORGIA RUNOFFS
Democrats had great expectations heading into the 2020 cycle, with the GOP defending 23 of the 35 seats up for grabs. Democratic challengers dramatically outraised Republican incumbents, but their hopes of a blue wave and a solid majority in the chamber never materialized.
The GOP faces another tough map in the 2022 cycle. As it stands right now, Republicans will be defending at least 20 of the 34 seats up for grabs in two years.