DSCC: GOP Allies Admit Q3 Fundraising Reports Are ‘Three-Alarm Fire’

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee issued the following news release:

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- Axios: "The Republican Senate majority... suddenly looks in serious jeopardy... The biggest recent change is Republicans' increasingly precarious hold on the Senate"

- Washington Times: "Huge fundraising hauls in key Senate races are making Democrats increasingly optimistic that they can sustain their 2018 momentum into 2020"

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According to a new report this morning, a "growing number of Republicans are privately warning" that the GOP could lose its Senate majority in 2020. Key Republican incumbents are becoming increasingly vulnerable as they face sliding approval numbers while getting outraised by strong Democratic challengers.

Republican allies in Washington described the Q3 fundraising reports as a "three-alarm fire" and admitted that they are spending early in states "because the climate stinks" and "these incumbent senators have terrible job approvals and terrible favorables." Read more below about "Republicans' increasingly precarious hold on the Senate":

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

MSNBC: Republicans "increasingly fearful" they could lose Senate(https://youtu.be/4Ov1Ls5ssY0)

Axios: 1 big thing: The GOP's nightmare scenario(https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-e0d0a797-f44d-48af-802e-c3ff4d7fb10a.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0)

By Mike Allen

October 29, 2019

Key Points:

* A growing number of Republicans are privately warning of increasing fears of a total wipeout in 2020: House, Senate, and White House.

* The Republican Senate majority, once considered relatively safe, suddenly looks in serious jeopardy. Democrats are raising more money, and polling better, than Republican incumbents in battleground after battleground.

* President Trump trails every major Democratic candidate nationally and in swing states -- and his favorable ratings remain well under 50%.

* The biggest recent change is Republicans' increasingly precarious hold on the Senate.

* National Journal's Josh Kraushaar writes in his "Against the Grain" column (subscription) that "the pathway for a narrow Democratic takeover of the upper chamber is looking clearer than ever"

* Scott Reed, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce senior political strategist, tells me that third-quarter fundraising reports showing three Republican senators being out-raised by Democratic challengers (in Arizona, Iowa and Maine) "are a three-alarm fire."

* "The party was shaken by that," Reed said. "We're all worried."

* "We have to spend early because the climate stinks," Reed said. "All these incumbent senators have terrible job approvals and terrible favorables."

Washington Times: Democrats outraise Republican rivals in key 2020 Senate races(https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/28/democrats-outraise-republican-rivals-in-key-2020-s/)

By David Sherfinski

October 28, 2019

Key Points:

* Huge fundraising hauls in key Senate races are making Democrats increasingly optimistic that they can sustain their 2018 momentum into 2020.

* Democratic challengers in states such as Arizona, Maine and Iowa outraised Republican incumbents last quarter as they fight for an outside chance of flipping the Senate, where the GOP holds an effective 53-47 majority.

* "I do think Democrats still have momentum because their inspiration for contributors in 2018 -- Trump -- seems to offer even more inspiration for Democrats to engage now than he did in 2018," said Gary Jacobson, emeritus professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego.

* Democrat Mark Kelly, who is challenging Republican Sen. Martha McSally in Arizona, raised $5.5 million in the third quarter and has $9.5 million on hand. Ms. McSally raised about $3 million last quarter and had about $5.6 million on hand at the end of September.

* Sara Gideon, a Democratic challenger to Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, raised $3.2 million and had $2.8 million on hand. Ms. Collins raised about $2 million...

* In Iowa, Democrat Theresa Greenfield raised $1.1 million, outpacing Republican Sen. Joni Ernst...

* "As vulnerable Republicans continue to face blowback for their toxic records and consistent failures of leadership, strong Democratic candidates are holding them accountable and building winning campaigns that will carry them to victory across the country next November," said Stewart Boss, a spokesman for Senate Democrats' campaign arm.