In race for Congress, Democrats burn through cash while outraising Republicans in final election sprint, new filings show

Staring down the prospect of losing the Senate and amid a tight race for the House, Democrats are burning through cash in the final sprint to Election Day, new federal filings show.

Staring down the prospect of losing the Senate and amid a tight race for the House, Democrats are burning through cash in the final sprint to Election Day, new federal filings show. The pre-general election reports, which cover the first sixteen days of October, are the last opportunity before November 5 to see just how much congressional campaigns have raised and spent. Democrats are defending a razor-thin majority in the Senate, while Republicans are trying to maintain their own narrow edge in the House. In almost all the key races, Democratic candidates brought in more than their Republican opponents between October 1-16. At this point in the race, neither side has a significant overall cash-on-hand advantage, with campaigns spending all the resources they can to win. With no clear leader in the presidential election according to the most recent CNN Poll of Polls, the battle for Congress will be crucial to determining whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will have a supportive first branch of government to help implement the new president’s policies. Democrats face daunting odds to retain their narrow Senate majority. With Republicans almost certain to flip West Virginia’s Senate seat, they would need Harris to win the White House while not losing any of the other seats held by Democratic senators or senators who caucus with the party. But Senate Democrats have had a massive money advantage all cycle. According to a CNN analysis of campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Democratic candidates in Senate races rated as competitive by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales have thoroughly outspent their Republican opponents.