by Melissa O’Rourke
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) enters the midterm cycle at a significant financial disadvantage compared to Republicans, weakened by lingering debt from former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign and frail donor enthusiasm.
It was requested by the Republican National Committee (RNC). $10.7 million in September and has cash reserves of $86 million, according to the latest fundraising data released this week. In contrast, DNC he raised $10.3 million and had only $12 million in his account.
Part of the challenge comes from the debt left behind Harris’ failed presidential bidwhich burned out $1.5 billion in an astonishingly low time of 107 days. In September alone, the DNC paid $1.6 million in campaign liabilities, bringing total repayments related to the Harris campaign to date to more than $20 million, according to Axles.
The fundraising gap underscores donors’ deep frustration with the DNC’s guidance. Earlier this year, most top donors turned down a San Francisco fundraiser with Harris, forcing the event to scramble for a host and ultimately raising much less than expected, people familiar with the event say Wall Street Journal.
The DNC has also been grappling with internal turmoil since its crushing presidential defeat, division between its progressive wing and its more moderate members.
David Hogggun control activist elected co-chair of the DNC in February, was met with a backlash from other Democrats later proposing the main challenge to incumbent Democrats and it was REMOVED from his position in June. Sound leakage in June revealed that DNC ​​Chairman Ken Martin questioned his own leadership abilities in the face of internal conflicts caused by Hogg’s efforts, Politico first reported.
Meanwhile, some top Democratic officials are growing increasingly upset with some of their party’s leaders, including Martin, for not doing enough to support Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani New York City Mayoral Campaign, Axios reported. Key data the likes of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have yet to endorse Mamdani, less than two weeks from Election Day.
The Democratic House and Senate committees outperform the National Party, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee outperforms the National Republican Senatorial Committee by almost a margin. $2 million in the third quarter of 2025.
Major Democratic donors also give funds to individual candidates rather than the national committee. Candidate for Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger AND Mikey Sherril in New Jersey they have raised significant sums, as have some Senate candidates in battleground states Georgia they report good fundraising results. Democrats too doughy significant resources into efforts to redraw California’s congressional maps.
Spanberger and Sherill are in a tight race. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Poll. showed Spanberger has a 7-point lead over Republican Winsome Earle Sears. Spanberger’s driving has shrunk since September, when the VCU poll showed her at 11 points.
According to data, Sherill has a 7-point advantage over Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey Farleigh Dickinson University. Another poll conducted at Quinnipiac University showed Sherill is only 6 points ahead of Ciattarelli.
These elections will take place on November 4.
The DNC did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Melissa O’Rourke is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation. Zachery Schmidt is a digital editor Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Photo “Kamala Harris” by Kamala Harris.
