A small-dollar donation surge is turning deep red states into major Senate battlegrounds as Democrats seek total control of the federal government.
Republicans are rushing to save GOP control of the U.S. Senate, spending $20 million in deeply conservative states that have become unexpected battlegrounds as a surge of small-dollar donations gives Democrats the upper hand in states likely to make or break the Senate majority.
The GOP holds a 53-47 Senate majority, and the high likelihood Republicans will oust Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones on Election Day next month means Democrats need to defeat at least four incumbent Republicans to wrest control of the Senate from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell . “The political environment is as tough as I’ve ever seen it, we have Republican-held seats under siege, and Democrat candidates have a huge financial edge,” said Steven Law, the group’s president. “Thanks to our record-breaking fundraising, we are keeping the fight to defend our Senate majority competitive.”
“They’ve been trying to frame her as wishy-washy, and she’s just been helping them. It just looks like she’s waffling again,” said Toby McGrath, a former top aide to independent Maine Sen. Angus King. “For the past few weeks, I’ve thought this has become Sara Gideon’s race to lose.” Small-dollar Democratic donors have had the biggest impact in South Carolina, where Democrats’ loathing of GOP Sen. Lindsay Graham has made the race competitive. Graham, who over the course of the past four years has evolved from moderate dealmaker to Trump acolyte, is facing a stiff challenge from Democrat Jaime Harrison.
Beyond South Carolina, Senate Leadership Fund has also announced multimillion-dollar ad buys in Alaska and Kansas. In all three states, the super PAC is hoping its millions ― provided mostly by large donors, including casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, private equity CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman and banking heir Timothy Mellon ― can offset Democratic candidates’ financial advantage.
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