Congressional Democrats are out-fundraising Republicans by millions
Politicians on Capitol Hill often say, “You can win any race if you put enough money into it.” If that’s true, Democrats are in a good place right now. Congressional Democrats are out-fundraising Republicans at the national and state level.
Here’s a look at the numbers
Democrats raised a combined $733.4 million by the end of August between their official committees and super PACs. Republicans raised a combined $638.5 million.
Breaking it down by chamber, House Democrats have $17 million more cash on hand than House Republicans.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, however, is a bright spot for the GOP, as it has out-raised the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee by $27 million.
While that extra cash could help Republicans gain control of the chamber this November, Democratic candidates are out-raising their opponents in races that Republicans hoped to win and flip.
For instance in Montana, Sen. Jon Tester, D, is fighting off a challenge from Republican Tim Sheehy. Tester has raised nearly $40 million compared to Sheehy’s $14 million.
In Ohio, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D, has brought in about $30 million more than his Republican challenger Bernie Moreno. Brown raised $46 million and Moreno has raised $15.8 million.
In Michigan, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D, received $24 million in donations during her campaign to be the state’s next senator. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Mike Rogers received $5.4 million.
Democrats have also received a lot more help from the top of the ticket.
House Republicans are actively working to have Trump appear at an event for them. He has previously brought in more than $30 million in a single night.
Harris introduces Walz; Vance speaks to supporters during Philly rallies
Vice President Kamala Harris introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate while Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance spoke to supporters during separate rallies in Philadelphia. And U.S. officials say a Pakistani national with ties to the Iranian government has been arrested in connection with a plot to kill American politicians. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
Harris introduces Walz; Vance speaks to supporters during Philly rallies
Both major political parties made a showing in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6. Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly picked running mate Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., held their first rally together. In a dueling rally nearby, former President Donald Trump’s running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, made his first stop in the city since joining the Republican ticket.
Harris joined Walz on stage in front of thousands of people at a rally and in front of millions of voters across the country who tuned in.
Polls show 71% of Americans are not familiar with Walz. The Minnesota governor got the opportunity to introduce himself in battleground territory and took aim at the vice presidential pick on the other side.
“Like all regular people, I grew up with in the heartland,” Walz told supporters. “J.D. studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires and then wrote a bestseller trashing that community. Come on. That’s not what middle America is. And I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy.”
At Vance’s rally, he responded to the news of Walz being Harris’ selection for vice president.
“Tim Walz’s record is a joke,” Vance said. “He’s been one of the most far left radicals in the entire United States government at any level. But I think that what Tim Walz’s selection says is that Kamala Harris has bent the knee to the far left of her party, which is what she always does.”
Vance also criticized Harris for not doing a sit-down interview with the media since becoming the presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party 17 days ago.
Harris will be hitting at least five battleground states in the days to come as the Democratic National Convention (DNC) approaches later in August.
Trump announces ‘major interview’ with Elon Musk
Former President Trump has announced he will be sitting down with Elon Musk for an interview on Monday, Aug. 12. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform Tuesday, Aug. 6, saying, “On Monday night [Aug. 12] I’ll be doing a major interview with Elon Musk — details to follow.”
In July, the tech mogul endorsed Trump following the assassination attempt on the former president during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Pakistani national with ties to Iran charged in Trump assassination plot
The Department of Justice says it’s arrested a Pakistani national with ties to the Iranian government in connection with a plot to kill American politicians and officials. Multiple sources said one of the main targets was former President Trump.
Asif Merchant, 46, is charged with murder for hire after DOJ officials said he flew from Pakistan to the U.S. to recruit hitmen for the plot. They said one of the so-called “hitmen” he contacted was a confidential informant for the FBI.
Trump’s security was increased in June after authorities learned of an Iranian plot to kill him. This was before the assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally and is not related to those events, according to the FBI.
Officials said there’s been dozens of aftershocks ranging in magnitude between 2.5 and 4.5 following the initial rumblings that began around 9 p.m. local time. Seismologists called it “a pretty active sequence in such a short amount of time.”
Hamas names Oct. 7 attack mastermind as new leader
Hamas has named its new leader following the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyehin Iran. Yahyah Sinwar, known as the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack, is now leading the terror group.
The move is likely to provoke Israel, which has had Sinwar at the top of its most wanted list since that deadly attack ten months ago. The Israeli military responded to Sinwar’s appointment, vowing to take him out as well.
Cori Bush loses Missouri primary; Michigan Senate race is set
Media projections show Democratic congresswoman and “squad” member Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., lost her primary race in Missouri Tuesday, Aug. 6. Bush has been a vocal critic of Israel in its war against Hamas, and pro-Israel groups spent upwards of $10 million on efforts to unseat her.
In Michigan, a battleground territory, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers won the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat, setting him up to face Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the November election.
Restaurant chain Buca di Beppo files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The restaurant chain Buca di Beppo has filed for bankruptcy protection. The privately owned company says revenue never fully recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of its bankruptcy, the three-decade-old business said it began closing underperforming restaurants this year, including a dozen locations in July alone.
It will also restructure the rest of its 44 locations, but said it will continue to serve its family-size portions that has been Buca’s staple.
Hocker, Thomas bring home gold for the US on the track
The U.S. took home two Olympic gold medals on the track in Paris on Tuesday. That brings the team’s gold medal count to 24 and the overall total to 86.
First, Cole Hocker won the men’s 1,500-meter relay, coming from behind in the final seconds to set an Olympic record at 3 minutes and 27.65 seconds.
Then Gabby Thomas earned her first Olympic gold medal, winning the women’s 200-meter final after taking the bronze back in Tokyo. Thomas crossed the finish line in 21.83 seconds to give the U.S. its first gold in the event in 12 years.
Rep. Kildee fends off GOP challenger Junge in Michigan
Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee has won reelection to his seat representing Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, beating out Republican Paul Junge, a former TV news anchor and prosecutor who worked in the Trump administration.
Given the state has multiple timezones, the first polls closed at 8 p.m. EST, and the last polls closed at 9 p.m. EST.
Kildee was first elected the representative for Michigan’s 5th Congressional District pre-redistricting, succeeding his uncle Dale Kildee, who occupied the seat from 1977 to 2013.
Abortion was a key issue in the race between Kildee and Junge. Kildee called the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade “one of the most reprehensible Supreme Court decisions in our country’s history.” Junge said decisions on regulating abortion should be handled at the state level.
Michigan’s 8th Congressional District is centered around the city of Flint.
Dem Elissa Slotkin wins Michigan’s redrawn District 7
Representative Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, will return to Washington D.C. for a third term after defeating her challenger, Republican Tom Barrett.
Slotkin will represent Michigan’s newly redrawn 7th Congressional District. The District was one of the most closely contested House races this election cycle. An estimated $37 million was spent in the 7th District.
Bacon-Vargas tops House races to watch this November
This November, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be on the ballot. The party that takes the majority will control which bills get a vote on the House floor and which party controls the committees; and with that comes the power to investigate and issue subpoenas.
With so many races to follow – here are some of the closest.
1. Ohio’s 9th Congressional District
Incumbent: Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D
Challenger: J.R. Majewski
Rep. Kaptur has served in Congress for nearly 40 years. In fact, she’s the longest serving woman in the history of the House of Representatives. Kaptur has dominated this seat, she’s consistently won with 60% to 75% of the vote. But because of redistricting, her race is considered a toss up. Kaptur’s challenger is Air Force veteran J.R. Majewski who describes himself as a commonsense conservative, a “Rush baby”, who wants to put America first.
2. Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District
Incumbent: Rep. Don Bacon, R
Challenger: State Sen. Tony Vargas, D
For the last thirty years, Republicans have won all three of Nebraska’s seats all but twice. This election cycle, Nebraska’s 2nd District is considered a toss-up. Bacon flipped this seat in 2016 with less than 50% of the vote, he won in 2018 with 50.8%. His challenger, Sen. Vargas, is a public school teacher who is focusing on improving education and healthcare affordability.
3. Texas’ 15th, 28th and 34th Districts
This is a combination of three districts on Texas’ southern border that Republicans are hoping to win after 40 years of Democratic domination. Democrats have won all three of these seats in every election since 1982 except one. Republicans hope three Latina women can change that.
Texas 15 is leaning in Republicans’ favor, with polls showing Monica De La Cruz being the likely winner over Democrat Michelle Vallejo.
Texas 28 former Ted Cruz staffer Cassy Garcia is running against incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar, D.
Texas 34 Rep. Mayra Flores, R, already flipped this seat in a special election in June. But she will have to run again in a redrawn district to win a full term against Rep. Vincente Gonzalez Jr, D, who currently represents Texas 15.
4. Michigan’s 7th and 8th Districts
Redistricting has made Michigan’s 7th and 8th Districts nearly unrecognizable. They have actually swapped quite a bit of the land they cover from the area between Ann Arbor, East Lansing and all the way up to Saginaw Bay.
Michigan 7 Rep. Elissa Slotkin currently represents Michigan’s 8th District, but now she will run for the newly drawn 7th District against State Sen. Tom Barrett, R.
Michigan 8 Rep. Dan Kildee, D, currently represents Michigan 5 which is very similar to this new district. Republican challenger Paul Junge has never been elected to a political office but has served as a district attorney and worked in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Trump administration.
5. New York’s 22nd District
Candidates:
Francis Conole, D
Brandon Williams, R
Redistricting will play a major role in this race. Instead of including Utica, Syracuse suburbs and heading south, NY22 now goes directly from Utica to Syracuse proper. Conole is a former Navy intelligence officer who served in the Middle East and in the Pentagon. Williams founded a software company and said he’s running to stop the Biden administration and progressive left policies.
Want more? Check out the top five Senate and Governor’s races to watch.