DGA tries to downplay 2nd quarter fundraising flop

The Democratic Governors Association trailed badly in second quarter fundraising. It pulled in $9.1 million, which is less than half what the Republican Governors Association raised. 

The RGA announced Thursday it has raised $18.9 million since the end of March and now has some $40 million cash on hand. The DGA, meanwhile, has $22 million cash on hand.

The RGA holds the overall lead for the year, too, having raised $28 million in 2010 to the Democrats' $17 million. Still, this is the DGA's "best-ever fundraising for the first six months of the year," according to a release.

Republican strategists have spoken openly about the importance the party places on gubernatorial races this cycle with redistricting looming after the Census is complete in December. But DGA executive director Nathan Daschle said the RGA may have gotten an added boost from the controversy surrounding the party's other campaign committees.

"To be honest, given the mass donor exodus from the RNC, we never expected to outraise the RGA. But we have marshaled historic resources to compete aggressively across the map," Daschle said in a statement. "With marquee states like California, Florida and Texas up for grabs, more Americans could have a Democratic governor after November than ever before."

--Updated at 5:23 p.m.