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Republican senators with millions of dollars in their campaign accounts have given little or nothing to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), despite its desperate pleas for cash funds.
Fewer than 10 Senate Republicans met goals they received for an NRSC fundraiser with President Bush in McLean, Va., Tuesday evening. GOP senators were asked to contribute $100,000 from their campaign accounts or recruit four major donors for the event.
While NRSC Chairman Sen. John Ensign (Nev.) has been strapped for cash, his counterpart, Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), has persuaded colleagues to give hundreds of thousands of dollars from their personal campaign accounts to the party’s cause.
The Senate Democratic fundraising committee has collected far more cash than has its Republican counterpart. The DSCC reported $32.8 million in cash on hand at the end of last month, while the NRSC had only $15.3 million.
Republican Sens. Arlen Specter (Pa.), Jim Bunning (Ky.), Richard Lugar (Ind.), Pete Domenici (N.M.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Tom Coburn (Okla.), and Larry Craig (Idaho) have given nothing to the NRSC, according to campaign finance data collected by the Federal Election Commission and CQ Money Line, a website that tracks fundraising.
These lawmakers have kept their wallets shut despite having millions and not facing reelection this year. Specter, for example, reported $4.2 million in his war chest. Lugar has $2.2 million in his account. Domenici has $840,000 and has announced his retirement.
A spokesman for Lugar said that while his boss has not given anything to the NRSC, he has raised $372,000 for the committee, a contribution that does not show up on fundraising reports.
A spokesman for Specter said the senator visits the NRSC regularly to make fundraising calls, has recruited major donors for the committee, and has given $50,000 to candidates through his leadership political action committee (PAC).
Democrats have showered Schumer with money. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) wrote a $250,000 check to the committee in June. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) contributed half a million dollars last year.
Even lesser-known Democrats have given hundreds of thousands: Sen. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) has given the DSCC at least $100,000; Sen. Tom Carper (Del.) has transferred at least $250,000 from his campaign and Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.) has kicked in at least $150,000.
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