A top super PAC backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., raised $51 million during the second fundraising quarter as Republicans look to keep their House majority in November.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, an outside group dedicated to keeping the House in Republican control, announced that they have raised $93 million during the entire 2018 cycle and have $71 million in cash on hand less than four months until Election Day. Additionally, their second quarter total is more than the group raised during the entire 2016 cycle.
“Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Paul Ryan and Leader Kevin McCarthy [R-Calif.] in Congress, CLF continues to break fundraising records, raising more this quarter than CLF raised during the entire 2016 cycle. Our donors are united in making sure Nancy Pelosi does not become Speaker of the House,” said Corry Bliss, CLF’s executive director, in a statement.
“CLF’s early and aggressive fundraising has already proven to change the political landscape this midterm election cycle,” Bliss said. “We’ve reserved more than $60 million in fall advertising, opened field offices across the country, and knocked on over 15 million doors to date. CLF is committed to playing a major role protecting the Republican majority this fall.”
By comparison, the group raised $4.6 million during the second quarter in 2016 and had $6 million cash on hand at the time, though that was during a presidential cycle.
CLF has been one of the top groups on the 2018 scene, having played heavily in special elections over the past year and a half.
Republicans hold a 23-seat advantage heading into the fall as Democrats are licking their chops at the prospect of retaking the House. According to the Cook Political Report, 31 GOP-held seats are rated in toss-up, lean Democratic, or likely Democratic categories.
