The Republican digital fundraising platform WinRed processed $124 million in donations to GOP candidates and committees in the first quarter, nearly equal what it generated during the same period last year as a presidential election approached.
WinRed is fairly new. It launched during the 2020 election cycle to help Republicans compete with the Democrats, whose skyrocketing fundraising during former President Donald Trump’s tenure was bolstered significantly by ActBlue. The Democratic-aligned digital fundraising platform, more than a decade old, processed billions for liberal candidates and campaign committees over the past four years, pushing President Joe Biden past Trump and helping Democrats win control of the House and Senate.
“Republicans are kicking off the 2022 cycle with a ton of grassroots energy and momentum,” said Gerrit Lansing, a Republican operative who runs WinRed. “By converting that energy into dollars, WinRed is helping the GOP win races across the country, including at the state and local level.”
ActBlue just finished the biggest first quarter of an election cycle in its history, in terms of money raised, the number of unique donors, and the number of contributions. That is notable since Democrats run Washington, controlling the White House and Congress. The Democratic fundraising platform processed $314 million in donations for 10,603 campaigns and groups. Nearly 88% of ActBlue donors had previously contributed to Democrats through the platform, suggesting liberal enthusiasm remains strong since Trump exited the White House.
RNC ENJOYS RECORD FUNDRAISING HAUL IN MARCH AND FIRST QUARTER
But WinRed continues to grow and is on a path to put Republicans in a position to match Democrats in digital contributions. Of the $124 million WinRed processed in the first quarter, the average donation was $37.96. Contributors who used the platform for the first time gave $33.9 million. Meanwhile, $8.8 million of the total first-quarter tally was directed to Republicans running for state and local office.
ActBlue has raised $8.6 billion for Democratic candidates and committees since 2004. Since coming online in 2019, WinRed has collected $2.2 billion, distributing $62.8 million to GOP congressional candidates and committees, with an average donation of $53.79. The single best day in WinRed’s history was Oct. 31, 2019, the day House Democrats moved forward with the first impeachment inquiry against Trump, raising $27.1 million in 24 hours.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Republican fundraising has remained strong after concerns early in the year that it would falter. The GOP lost the White House and the Senate while facing pressure because of the ransacking of the U.S. Capitol spearheaded by grassroots Trump supporters.
