The Democratic National Committee is increasingly falling far behind its Republican counterpart in raising money so far this year.
The DNC’s fundraising total last month was $10.3 million, compared to the RNC’s $18.5 million. It also doesn’t help that the DNC has nearly $17.4 million in outstanding debt after taking out a $15 million loan in October 2025. By contrast, the RNC has no debt.
That’s because it’s benefiting from a massive cash-on-hand advantage, $109.3 million, while the Democratic committee struggles to make ends meet with $15.9 million in the bank.
The DNC’s cash-on-hand at the beginning of February was just below $15.3 million, underscoring that the group has been unable to overcome its own financial challenges despite its ambitious goals for the midterm elections.
Democrats are intent on maintaining their momentum in the 2026 election cycle after winning several states, namely Virginia and New Jersey, last November. The party’s strategy is to focus on the issue that gave those states’ respective Democratic gubernatorial candidates their victories: affordability.
Meanwhile, Republicans will seek to retain control of both chambers of Congress this year. Their expanding war chest will help them do that.
Other top fundraising committees are helping boost their parties’ chances in the congressional races.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $11.4 million in February, more than the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s $10.8 million. The NRSC also leads the DSCC in cash, $32.7 million to $30.2 million.
On the House side, Democrats have an advantage after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $13.7 million last month. The National Republican Congressional Committee raised only $9.9 million, but it edged out the DCCC, with $57.6 million in cash on hand to $57.4 million.
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Republicans hold a much larger cash advantage, with the Trump-aligned super PAC entering the year with more than $300 million in the bank ahead of the 2026 elections. No Democratic-aligned super PAC comes close to that number, according to Politico.
As the DNC fails to gain enough fundraising, Democrats are reportedly growing more concerned about Ken Martin’s leadership on the party’s top committee. Martin assumed the role in February 2025, after his predecessor stepped down following the Democratic Party’s 2024 election loss.
