Senate super PAC linked to McConnell smashes fundraising records

The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC linked to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), brought in more than $41 million in the second quarter, as they work to help Republicans take control of the upper chamber in the November election.

The newest numbers suggest Republicans could be closing the gaps with Democrats, who have long dominated the money game. The group shared new numbers with the Washington Examiner, showing they raised $41 million this quarter and have $117 million in cash on hand.

This is about double what it raised in the same period in the 2022 midterm cycle. It is also significantly more than what the group brought in in 2023, which was $29 million, according to campaign finance reports.

The numbers are still less than what the Democratic Senate super PAC connected to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) raised this cycle, which was $44 million, according to Axios. However, the gap is just $3 million in the second quarter.

In the first quarter, the Senate Majority PAC outraised its GOP counterpart by roughly $15 million. Currently, the Democratic campaign apparatus has $7 million more in cash on hand compared to Republicans.

McConnell announced the numbers during last Tuesday’s private lunch with Republican senators, which was an all-time record, according to a source familiar.

“This record fundraising quarter shows that donors are enthusiastic about our high-quality Senate candidates and it puts us in a strong position to capitalize on the spreading chaos on the Democratic side,” Senate Leadership Fund President Steven Law told the Washington Examiner in a statement.

SMP announced earlier this year it had reserved $239 million in television advertising in seven states starting over the summer. The group plans to spend $65 million in Ohio, $42 million in Pennsylvania, $14 million in Wisconsin, $14 million in Michigan, and $23 million in Arizona.

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SLF, for its part, plans to spend $57.5 million on advertising in Ohio and $24.6 million in Montana starting in early September. Those numbers are subject to change as Election Day approaches.

Democrats and the independents who caucus with them hold a narrow 51-seat majority in the chamber. Of the Senate Democrats up for reelection, seven are in states that went for Trump in 2016, 2020, or both.