Dem class of 2018' s fundraising dominance

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Dem class of 2018' s fundraising dominance

Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.). Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images At least 14 frontline House Democrats raised more than $1 million in the third quarter of 2022, all but three of whom were first elected in 2018, Axios has learned. Nearly half of those raised more than $2 million. Why it matters: These members — elected on a wave of anti-Trump sentiment in 2018 — are among the Democrats most vulnerable to being unseated by Republican challengers in the Nov. 8 midterms. Fundraising prowess was key to Democrats' wave election in 2018, when they netted 41 seats on their way to retaking control of the House.With the cash-strapped national party having to make difficult choices to cut spending across the map, campaign-level fundraising could play a decisive role in these pivotal seats.

By the numbers

More than $2.8 million:Rep. Elaine Luria (Va.-2) More than $2 million:Rep. Pat Ryan (N.Y.-19)Rep. Kim Schrier (Wash.-8)Rep. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.-7)Rep. Sharice Davids (Kan.-3)Rep. Abigail Spanberger (Va.-7) More than $1.5 million:Rep. Susan Wild (Pa.-7)Rep. Dan Kildee (Mich.-8)Rep. Angie Craig (Minn.-2)Rep. Tom Malinowski (N.J.-7) More than $1 million:Rep. Tom O’Halleran (Ariz.-2)Rep. Mike Levin (Calif.-49)Rep. Cindy Axne (Iowa-3)Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-3) Between the lines: As many as six House Democratic challengers raised more than $1.5 million in the third quarter, and another 11 raised more than $1 million, Axios .On the GOP side, at least 11 House Republican challengers .Incumbency is often a major driver of campaign dollars, but Democrats' 2018 wave was punctuated by their . Zoom in: Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.), a member of the Jan. 6 select committee, brought in a whopping , more than any other frontline House Democrat so far.Her Republican opponent, state Sen. Jen Kiggans, .Luria is far from the only powerhouse fundraiser on the Jan. 6 panel: , and , all of whom hold safe seats, have raised enormous sums for their party.Schiff and Raskin have also helped out the party in other ways, cutting , lending their names to and texts and . The big picture: Democrats' national campaign apparatus is getting outpaced by Republicans in the fundraising arms race, leading some Democrats to about their party's capacity to fund a successful campaign.The and had around $240 million in cash on hand as of last month, according to FEC filings. Their Democratic counterparts, the and , had just under $190 million. What we're watching: The DCCC believes it needs at least another $20 million to hold the House and is asking the Democratic National Committee to double its previous $7.5 million donation, .That's not all the DCCC is asking for: The group sent a list of campaign requests for visits from President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Cabinet secretaries, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The list was first reported by Punchbowl and confirmed to Axios by a DCCC official."We appreciate their support and of course welcome every investment we can get to defeat MAGA Republicans," the official told Axios. Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to note that the list only applies to vulnerable House Democrats, as defined by the Cook Political Report.

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