RNC outpacing Democrats in fundraising ahead of US midterms

The Republican National Committee has vastly outpaced Democrats in the crush for cash ahead of the midterm elections, holding a nearly US$100 million advantage at the close of 2025, according to year-end filings to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

As Democrats have struggled in the Trump era, the RNC tallied US$172 million raised in 2025, with US$95 million cash on hand at year’s end. In contrast, the Democratic National Committee posted US$145 million for the year, with US$14 million on hand and US$17 million in debt, to start the new year underwater.

It all points to a turbulent election cycle ahead as US President Donald Trump fights political headwinds that tend to brush back the party in power, in this case Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, and reward challengers during the midterms.

In the campaigns for control of Congress, the total hauls are less stark. House Republicans posted one of their stronger years, raising US$13 million in the last month of the year, to close with more than US$117 million for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the main campaign arm. House Democrats trailed slightly at US$115 million.

Both of the House committees started 2026 with about US$50 million cash on hand, according to the filings, which were due to the FEC this weekend. A similar dynamic is playing out in the Senate.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday the Republican Party’s overall fundraising haul left him “bullish” on the party’s chances to not only hold on to their razor-thin majority in the House, but grow it with more members.