The strategic funds set up by members of Congress can play a big role in the endgame of an election. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) locks horn with the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) matches up with the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRCC). The cash cached away be each committee can be used to mount a late attack with an opportunity appears to claim a seat held by the other party, or it can be use to mount a defense of a seat that appears to be in trouble.
The Democrats have been in the lead this cycle, and the month of March only amplified their advantage.
According to the Washington Post, the DSCC picked up almost 17M during the month of March, compared to about 12M for the NRSC. DSCC ended the month with more than twice the cash on hand than its rival, enjoying a 38M-to-17.3M edge. This is double the trouble for the Republicans, since they are playing defense in a vast majority of seats thought to be in contest.
The DCCC also outraised its rival during March, bringing in 10.1M while the NRCC collected 7.1M, according to CQPolitics. When it comes to cash on hand, a wide gulf separates DCCC and scandal-ridden NRCC. DCCC has six times more in the bank, leading by a margin of 44.3M to 7.2M.
RBR/TVBR observation: Add the cash disadvantage to the other challenges facing the Republicans this year: An unpopular war that is sure to continue through Election Day, an economy that seems to be headed relentlessly south, gas prices that seem headed relentlessly north, a party head with poor and stagnant popularity levels, and a top-ticket candidate who is standing by unpopular foreign and economic policies, and it just doesn’t look good for the GOP at this point. If the Democrats ever get their act together and truly unify after the Clinton/Obama jousting matches are finally concluded, watch out.
