Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (Photo: Alex Wong, Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — The two leading outside groups working to keep the Senate in Republican hands collected $19.9 million in September and are on pace to raise more than $20 million this month, officials said Wednesday.
The Senate Leadership Fund collected $6.6 million in September and its non-profit arm, One Nation, raised $13.3 million. That’s a substantial drop from their combined $42 million haul in August, when casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his physician wife Miriam donated $20 million to the Senate Leadership Fund.
Both groups are run by Steven Law, an ally of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Republican have a 54-46 seat majority in the Senate and face a tough battle to maintain control. If Hillary Clinton wins the White House, Democrats need to net just four seats to take the majority with a Democratic vice president breaking ties.
Independent political handicappers count as many as seven races, ranging from contests in New Hampshire to Nevada, as too close to call less than three weeks before Election Day.
As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump falters in the polls, increasingly confident Democratic strategists and donors are focusing more of their firepower on the Senate.
On Tuesday, a super PAC that had focused exclusively on boosting Democratic presidential contender Clinton announced its first ads in Senate races. The PAC, Priorities USA Action, plans to hit two Republican incumbents locked in tight races: New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey.
Given the high stakes, it’s no surprise that spending to influence Senate races is smashing records. Together, One Nation and Senate Leadership raised $119 million through the end of September.
“We blew past last year’s record for Senate spending weeks ago, and we’re still leaning into it,” Law said in a statement. “But we are up against a perfect storm of spending from Democratic groups and donors who believe the presidential race is done.”
Senate Leadership, which operates as a super PAC, must disclose details of its September fundraising and spending to the Federal Election Commission on Thursday. As a non-profit group, One Nation does not have to disclose its donors’ identities to the public.
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