Republican donors are so excited about the prospect of capturing the Senate, that the party's campaign to broaden its House majority has taken a back seat. The big money is going to the Senate, according to the
National Journal.
There are presently 233 Republicans in
the House, 199 Democrats, and 3 vacancies in the 435-seat chamber. There are 45 Republicans in the Senate with the party
poised to capture a majority in November. House Republicans are keen to increase their majority by at least 2 percent and ideally even 5 percent, the Journal reported.
Democrats have raised more money on district races than Republicans. The Democrats' House Majority PAC has invested $22 million on TV ads.
Republican groups like the Congressional Leadership Fund are spending $8 million on TV and digital ads. American Crossroads and the Chamber of Commerce are also expected to pitch in on the Republican House side.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has raised $136 million compared to the National Republican Congressional Committee's $109 million, the Journal reported.
House GOP fundraisers are arguing that only a solid Republican House majority can be a guaranteed bulwark against the Obama administration's agenda. They tell donors that a wider majority will preserve GOP interests should Hillary Clinton bring off a Democratic wave in 2016.
They also make the case that the more Republicans in the House, the more leverage Speaker John Boehner will have against the tea party faction, according to the Journal.
So far these arguments have not swayed enough GOP donors. "The comment I get at the end is, 'Look, you guys are great, you had a winning record in 2012, but I'm giving all my money to the Senate,'" said the Congressional Leadership Fund's Brian Walsh, the Journal reported.
The likelihood is that some House races that could have been won by the GOP will fall to the Democrats because the party can't make "all-out push," said Andy Sere, a House GOP operative.
An unnamed GOP donor explained: "The sexiness is just not there. Help us add six seats? It's not as exciting as watching Harry Reid pack boxes and move out of the majority leader suite," the Journal reported.