Scoop: Republican group working to elect GOP officials at state level showcases record fundraising haul
Republicans aim to strengthen upper hand in control of state legislative chambers in 2024 elections
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EXCLUSIVE: A GOP political organization dedicated to electing Republicans to state legislative and executive offices across the nation is spotlighting what it calls a "record-breaking" fundraising haul over the past three months.
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) on Friday announced that they, along with their strategic policy partner, the State Government Leadership Foundation (SGLF), hauled in a combined $12 million during the January-March first quarter of 2024 fundraising.
The RSLC, in sharing its fundraising figures first with FOX Business, said they and the SGLF have combined to haul in $47 million so far this cycle, outpacing what they brought in at the same point in the 2021-2022 cycle by $6.2 million.
"This record-breaking fundraising quarter is a testament to the strength of the RSLC heading into a pivotal 2024 election year and speaks to the desires of Americans nationwide who want Republican-led state leadership to serve as the last line of defense against the disastrous policies coming out of Washington," RSLC President Dee Duncan said in a statement to Fox News.
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The RLSC also spotlighted its digital fundraising, including $1.7 million brought in online, with 9,000 new online donors and an average contribution of $22.20.
While Democrats have control of the White House and the Senate – with the GOP in the majority in the House – it's a different story in the states.
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Republicans currently have the majority in 57 of the country's 98 partisan-controlled legislative chambers (Nebraska, with a unicameral legislature where members are elected on a nonpartisan basis, is not included), according to the latest data from the National Conference on State Legislatures.
The GOP controls 28 of the 49 state legislatures (Nebraska is not included) compared to 19 for the Democrats, with two state legislatures divided. And they have total control (state house majority and control of the governor’s office) in 23 states, compared to 16 for the Democrats.
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Republicans are aiming in November to reclaim majorities in the Pennsylvania House (where Democrats hold a one-seat majority), the Michigan House (where Democrats hold a two-seat majority) and Minnesota (where the Democrats have a six-seat majority).
And the RSLC will defend slim GOP majorities in both chambers in Arizona and New Hampshire as well as the Pennsylvania Senate.
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Last year, the rival Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), along with aligned organizations, outspent the Republicans in the final stretch to help flip the Virginia House from red to blue and retain control of the Senate. Democrats also padded their majorities in both chambers of New Jersey's legislature.
The DLCC has pledged to dish out $60 million this cycle and is touting that it's notched back-to-back record months of grassroots fundraising so far this year.
On Thursday, the DLCC announced that it and its affiliated groups brought in $6.9 million in the first three months of the year, which they called a historic first-quarter haul, according to a report from the Daily Beast.
Duncan acknowledged that "we know that our fundraising haul pales in comparison to what the Democrats plan to spend between now and November."
"This will be the largest uphill battle the RSLC has faced to date, but we are battle-tested and ready for the fight," he said.