Democrats outperform Republicans with donors across the top Senate races
By Fredreka Schouten, Alex Leeds Matthews, CNN
(CNN) — Democratic candidates raised more than Republicans in all but one of the five most competitive Senate races in recent months, new campaign fundraising reports show.
Building cash reserves for next year’s high-priced midterm battles could help Democrats as they try to flip four seats from Republicans, a difficult task that will require beating longtime GOP senators or winning in states that have turned unfriendly to progressives.
In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff, the lone Senate Democrat seeking reelection in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2024, continues to far surpass his Republicans rivals in fundraising, according to third-quarter filings Wednesday night with the Federal Election Commission.
His $12 million haul in the July-September window was more than twice the combined amount raised by three best-known Republicans vying to challenge him next year. He entered October with more than $21 million in cash reserves.
His fundraising advantage is likely to dwindle once Republicans settle on their Senate nominee next year. Georgia GOP voters are deciding between former football coach Derek Dooley, who has the backing of Gov. Brian Kemp, and Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter.
In North Carolina, former Gov. Roy Cooper reported raising $10.9 million for his main campaign account, swamping the nearly $1.4 million collected by Republican Michael Whatley, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee who is running with the president’s backing.
Those totals exclude money the campaigns announced as coming from their joint fundraising committees. Adding those in, Cooper’s political operation still outperformed Whatley’s committees.
Democrats view North Carolina as one of their best hopes for picking up a Republican seat next year, given the retirement of two-term GOP Sen. Thom Tillis.
In Maine, Democrat and oyster farmer Graham Platner raised $3.2 million, exceeding the $1.9 million collected by five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a top target for Democrats next year.
But this week’s entry of two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in the race is quickly transforming the contest. Mills, a top recruit for national party leaders, announced that she had raised $1 million in the first 24 hours of joining the campaign. Mills’ first required financial disclosure — detailing her fundraising and spending in the final three months of 2025 — won’t be due until early next year.
Platner, a first-time candidate who has been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has made clear he does not intend make way for Mills and released his first television ad this week. Jordan Wood, a former congressional aide who also is seeking the Democratic nomination, reported collecting nearly $1.5 million during the quarter, Federal Election Commission records show.
In neighboring New Hampshire, where Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is retiring, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas raised $1.8 million, outperforming former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who brought in a little more than $968,000.
In Michigan, former Rep. Mike Rogers, the leading Republican in the open race to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters, collected $2.2 million in the third quarter. Rep. Haley Stevens narrowly led the Democratic field with a $1.9 million haul.
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former Wayne County health official Abdul El Sayed followed close behind.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
