Even Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), who calls himself an “independent Democrat” and whom the committee opposed when he faced Ned Lamont, the official Democratic nominee in the 2006 Connecticut Senate race, gave $100,000 to the DSCC in December.
The parsimony of Republican senators is putting their fundraising committee at a big disadvantage for the second election cycle in a row. During the 2005-2006 cycle, Republican senators transferred $4.5 million to their party committee while Democrats gave $10 million to theirs, according to a party official who reviewed the records.
Not all Republican senators have failed to support the party’s political operations. A few have gone out of their way to raise money for Senate candidates. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has spent much of this recess on the phone with donors. One committee aide said that a day rarely goes by that Hatch does not make fundraising calls for the NRSC in Washington or in Utah.
Sens. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) have also gained notice from party officials for their efforts to prevent the GOP getting plowed under by Schumer and the DSCC.
Ensign has grown frustrated with the lack of participation as Schumer has opened a sizable financial lead. During a recent interview with The Hill, Ensign said about half the Senate’s 49 Republicans were “not even close” to the pace needed to meet their fundraising goals. Ensign has asked members to raise $750,000-$3 million depending on seniority, leadership positions, and committee assignments.
“We’ve tried fear, we’ve tried positive reward, positive reinforcement, we’ve tried being a little harder on them, we use different things at different times – begging, we beg a lot,” he said.
But NRSC officials often hear excuses in response.
“I think they’re all pathetic excuses, but that’s just my own take on it,” Ensign told The Hill only half-jokingly.
Republican senators have each been asked to meet their contribution either by transferring the sum from their campaign accounts or by raising it for the committee. Many appear to have fallen far short despite controlling millions in political funds.
Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), who occupies a lucrative fundraising position as ranking Republican on the Banking Committee, has nearly $13 million in his reelection fund. Yet he has given only $15,000 from his leadership PAC to the NRSC.
Some lawmakers say there is plenty of time to give money to the committee before Senate races reach full intensity.
Susan Irby, spokeswoman for Craig said her boss “doesn’t foreclose the possibility of making a contribution before the end of the cycle.”
Irby said that retiring senators such as Craig often first use their remaining political funds to close campaign operations before giving them away to other candidates.
But while Ensign could take solace in the prospect that his colleagues may become more generous later, he faces the reality that many Democratic senators are giving far more money to the DSCC right now.
Jessica Malmgren contributed to this report.
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