Other State Parties Calling the SCGOP for Cash
Republicans hold a large fundraising edge over Democrats at the state party level. But not all state Republican parties are as flush with cash as the SCGOP. According to an article on Real Clear Politics, the SCGOP has been receiving phone calls from other state Republican parties ask for them to transfer money into their accounts. This make sense because we don’t have any major federal election battles this cycle, and many of these state parties calling the SCGOP are from critical swing states that will need to be won by John McCain in November.
Real Clear Politics says:
While fundraising on behalf of the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee has lagged far behind that of Democrats’, some GOP donors frustrated with their party in Washington have found other outlets for their contributions. All told, Republican state parties raised nearly $13.4 million in federal dollars, known as “hard money,” this cycle through February, while Democratic parties have hauled in $9 million in the same period, according to data compiled by one GOP operative and verified by Real Clear Politics…
Republican parties hold a bigger advantage in cash on hand, with $11.7 million in the bank compared with $6.65 million for Democrats. That’s an average cash position of about $250,000 for the 47 parties that have reported contribution totals, better than Democrats’ $141,000 average, money that can be used to influence voters choosing candidates for Congress or the White House…
Massachusetts Democrats and South Carolina Republicans will find themselves the recipients of a number of phone calls as parties in more competitive states assess their own federal dollar situations. In both states, no Congressional seats are in serious play and their party’s nominees will likely carry each with ease. Thanks to federal election law, those state parties can transfer their federal money to other states virtually without restriction. Frequently, those hard dollars are traded for similar amounts of soft dollars; such quid pro quo is not covered under current law, FEC spokesman Bob Biersack said.
Bay State Democrats may decide that, instead of spending their money in-state, Virginia Democrats, for example, could use it more. The commonwealth, expected to be a presidential battleground in November, features a Democratic Party with just $46,000 in the bank. Palmetto Republicans, on the other hand, could help out their brethren in West Virginia, which has picked the winner in each of the last four elections but where the state GOP has only $32,000 to spend on federal elections, or in Michigan, a perennial GOP target but where the state party has only $48,000 in their federal accounts.
The SCGOP could easily make several transfers to other state parties, and have enough money left to run a sufficient operation this cycle. It would also go along way to helping the GOP put together a ground game for McCain’s candidacy.