House Dem challengers are printing money

Democratic challengers in several key U.S. House races put up massive fundraising numbers in the second quarter, closing some of the GOP’s cash advantage in battlegrounds across the country.

Seven of the 10 best-fundraising House candidates across competitive districts were Democratic challengers, according to a POLITICO review of filings submitted to the Federal Election Commission late on Wednesday. All seven outraised the GOP incumbents they are facing in the 2nd quarter.

In Iowa’s 3rd District, Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott raised $2.2 million during this time period, compared to $968,000 for incumbent GOP Rep. Zach Nunn. In Pennsylvania’s 8th District, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti raised just over $2 million, while first-term GOP Rep. Rob Bresnahan raised a little more than $1 million. Both Cognetti and Trone Garriott were among the Democratic challengers to vault over GOP incumbents in cash on hand in the second quarter.Overall, nine of the top 10 fundraising candidates in battleground House races were Democrats, and 30 of the top 50, POLITICO’s review found.

The strong candidate fundraising is a sign of strong Democratic momentum as they push to overcome the GOP’s win in the gerrymandering wars to take control of the House in November, seizing on voter concerns over the economy after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. National polling indicates that Democrats have a strong chance at flipping the House.


https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/16/house-dem-challengers-are-printing-money-01000665