Senate Democrats build fall campaign cushion

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic candidates in many pivotal Senate races are raising more money than their GOP counterparts, but they’ll need the cushion to counter spending by independent conservative groups determined to win a Republican majority.

Democrats outraised Republicans in seven of 10 key races in the April-June period, according to quarterly reports that had to be filed by midnight Sunday with the Federal Election Commission. In Hawaii, New Mexico and North Dakota, GOP candidates had a fundraising edge.