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A lag in fundraising casts doubt on DNC’s 2020 influence

  
Via:  Nerm_L  •  5 years ago  •  1 comments


A lag in fundraising casts doubt on DNC’s 2020 influence
Although the DNC does not have comparable funding streams to the RNC, Democrat-tied “dark money” groups, including Majority Forward, and super-PACs such as Senate Majority PAC have gained prominence. A 501(c)(4) “dark money” group called Future Majority recently formed in an effort to provide strategy and messaging for 2020 Democrats in swing states — a role typically served by party committees.

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The Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) political power come 2020 remains on the line, as the committee continues to lag behind its Republican counterpart in fundraising, potentially causing problems for Democrats as they prepare for an expensive battle against President Donald Trump in the upcoming election.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) collected a record-breaking $15.5 million in contributions in March, far surpassing the DNC’s $8.1 million, which included a $1 million loan. About 87 percent of the RNC’s March donations went toward its campaign efforts. That’s more than double the $6.3 million spent by the DNC in the same month. The RNC currently stands with $33.1 million cash-on-hand, triple that of the DNC.

Although giving to individual candidates and outside groups has steadily risen over the past decade, contributions to the national committees have stayed fairly steady. The DNC has yet to surpass its 2004 fundraising record of $404 million.

Recent filings show signs of financial trouble ahead for the DNC. This March’s haul is half of what the DNC raised at the same time in 2015. A $6.6 million debt from past election expenses also weighs on the DNC’s financial future. The RNC has no debt.

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Hillary Clinton’s JFC boosted the DNC’s revenue during her presidential campaign throughout the 2016 cycle, but the Democratic party currently lacks a clear front-runner to help raise funds for the committee. Still, the DNC’s clouded financial future does not mean the Democratic party as a whole is lacking in fundraising potential.

Although the DNC does not have comparable funding streams to the RNC, Democrat-tied “dark money” groups, including Majority Forward, and super-PACs such as Senate Majority PAC have gained prominence. A 501(c)(4) “dark money” group called Future Majority recently formed in an effort to provide strategy and messaging for 2020 Democrats in swing states — a role typically served by party committees.

The expansion of party-connected super PACs and associated “dark money” groups accepting unlimited donations have eclipsed the traditional national committees, which are still subject to contribution limits and mandatory disclosures.

And congressional committees such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have become fundraising powerhouses in their own right. The DCCC raised more than $296 million in 2018, having steadily increased its contributions since raising $92 million in 2004.

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In the crowded 20-plus Democratic race for president, candidates have dug their teeth into the challenge of catching 65,000 donors — the minimum set by the DNC to claim a spot on the debate stage.

Candidates cast out their fundraising pleas far and wide, cajoling cautious Democratic voters to throw their financial support in early on.

Another route to the stage for candidates involves securing 1 percent of support in three different polls. So far, 17 candidates have qualified for the debate stage. If more than 20 candidates ultimately do qualify, the DNC will institute tiebreakers, such as selecting candidates who meet both donor and poll minimums.

Several candidates hope to capture the bulk of small-dollar donors, especially since swearing off corporate-PAC money carries unprecedented political capital among progressive voting blocs. But as the DNC gears up for its convention next summer in Milwaukee, the organization will likely seek corporate sponsors, as has been typical for both parties in years past. Recently, the DNC rejected more progressive candidates’ calls to ban corporate PACs altogether, exposing an internal tug-of-war.

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(Seeder's note:  Only excerpts have been posted. please, read the seeded article.  The seeded article is from OpenSecrets.org and is not behind a paywall.)


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Nerm_L
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1  seeder  Nerm_L    5 years ago

The Democratic Party has become dependent upon dark money.  Democrats were against Citizen's United until they were for it.

"In the crowded 20-plus Democratic race for president, candidates have dug their teeth into the challenge of catching 65,000 donors — the minimum set by the DNC to claim a spot on the debate stage."

This is a rather interesting tidbit from the seeded article.  Democratic candidates have to buy their way onto the stage; fundraising is a major qualification to be a Democratic candidate.

 
 

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