NRCC narrowly outraised DCCC in January as corporate PACs halted giving

The GOP’s House campaign arm outraised its Democratic counterpart last month despite an exodus of corporate donors in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. 

Filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) pulled in nearly $7.5 million in the first month of 2021, outpacing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) by about $500,000. 

The NRCC’s January fundraising haul suggests that the fallout from the Capitol riots had little practical effect on the group’s finances. 

Dozens of corporate political action committees halted donations to Republican lawmakers who challenged President Biden’s Electoral College victory last month after a mob of then-President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol in an effort to disrupt the congressional certification of the results.

That sparked concerns among some Republicans that the party’s incumbents and committees could take a sharp financial hit as they prepare for an effort to recapture control of the House and Senate in 2022. 

Despite those worries, the NRCC is beginning the new year in a stronger financial position than the DCCC. 

The GOP House campaign arm reported having more than $13.5 million in the bank at the end of January. The DCCC, meanwhile, reported a $22.4 million account balance, although the committee also carries $13 million in debts, offsetting its cash-on-hand lead over the NRCC. 

Down-ballot Republicans performed better than expected in the 2020 general elections, picking up 12 seats, even as Biden notched a 4.5-percentage-point victory over Trump nationally. 

Democrats now hold only a 10-seat edge in the House, raising the GOP’s hopes of recapturing control of the lower chamber in 2022. The NRCC has already announced a list of 47 districts it’s planning to target next year.