Will Democrat Money Avert a Republican Sweep?

You might think that Democratic Party donors would close their wallets this cycle out of embarrassment, but you would be mistaken. As Kim Strassel reports in the Wall Street Journal, the Democrats are winning the money race.

Kim argues that the Democrats’ incessant attacks on Charles and David Koch have worked. Those attacks have two purposes: to stir up Democratic donors, and to intimidate Republican donors. Both goals, she thinks, have been achieved:

The Reid strategy is working.

It’s true that Republicans are raising a lot of campaign money, and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Jerry Moran has navigated his party through a successful primary season. …

The NRSC is on track to clear $70 million in 2014—a fundraising record for the organization. Yet Democrats are raising more. As of the June 30 financial reporting deadline, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had raised $25 million more than the NRSC—cashing in on Obama events and on the party’s Hollywood and Wall Street patrons. The same is true for the House, where the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has consistently outraised its Republican counterpart this year.

The Democrats are always railing against “dark money,” but the truth is that they have their own dark money–more of it than the Republicans do:

Of more concern to Republicans is the money that Democrats are funneling into their outside Super PACs, the campaign vehicles best positioned to damage Republican candidates. The heavyweight in this field is Mr. Reid’s Senate Majority PAC, which—thanks in part to Mr. Reid’s Koch agitation—is landing windfall donations that have turned it into the second-largest spender this cycle after the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Republican messages may be drowned in a sea of Democratic cash

Republican messages may be drowned in a sea of Democratic cash

The two Democratic organizations have each spent close to $32 million. By comparison, the Republicans’ Senatorial Committee has spent about $16 million, and the biggest GOP Super PAC, American Crossroads, has spent about $7 million.

The Senate Majority PAC is central to the Democratic campaign strategy of running furious attack ads against GOP senatorial candidates. Democratic candidates entered their races with exceedingly low approval ratings, thanks to their ties to the Obama agenda. The Super PAC ads—which accuse Republicans of being everything from corrupt social-lunatics to women-haters—drag down GOP favorability ratings, tightening races.

Mr. Reid’s Koch attacks also appear to be depressing donor giving to GOP Super PACs that could run their own attack ads and even the odds.

How can Republican candidates overcome this torrent of Democrat cash? By talking about immigration. Immigration is currently the number one issue that can sway votes, but, as Paul noted here, neither party has yet established a clear edge on the issue. This is because most voters don’t know that most Republicans agree with them. Every GOP candidate should articulate a clear, simple position:

* Secure the borders.
* Enforce our laws.
* No amnesty.
* Defend American workers by limiting legal immigration.

If they do that, we will see a historic midterm sweep. Some Republican candidates, like Scott Brown in New Hampshire, have turned up the heat on immigration, as in this ad:

Brown has pulled to within two points of incumbent Jeanne Shaheen in the latest polling. Tom Cotton, battling incumbent Mark Pryor, likewise has made immigration the subject of his latest ad:

The desire to restore the rule of law to immigration policy runs broad and deep. Not just Republicans, but independents and many Democrats will respond to that message. It may turn out to be the one issue that Democrat dollars can’t buy.

But let’s not take any chances. You can help by contributing to Republican candidates who are fighting tough, principled, conservative campaigns against the Democratic machine. Check out the Power Line Picks in the right sidebar, follow the links, and donate to their campaigns. Every dollar helps.

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