In Special Election Rematch, Democrat Is Destroying Republican In Fundraising

Democratic candidate Danny O’Connor isn’t just beating his Republican House incumbent opponent in fundraising. He is crushing him by raising $6 million in the third quarter.

The Columbus Dispatch reported:

Democrat Danny O’Connor raised nearly $6 million between July 1 and Sept. 30 in his bid to represent central Ohio’s 12th Congressional District, receiving the bulk of the money between July 19 and Aug. 27, the period when he narrowly lost a special-election bid for the seat to Republican Troy Balderson.

About a month before the Nov. 6 general election, O’Connor has about $1 million in the bank, said O’Connor spokeswoman Annie Ellison, and he raised $4.06 million between July 19 and Aug. 27.

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Balderson, who was sworn in Sept. 5, has not yet released his fundraising numbers for the third quarter. Campaign-finance reports are due Oct. 15. But Balderson raised $504,744 between July 19 and Aug. 27, spending $620,084 during that period. He had $92,692 in the bank as of Aug. 27.

O’Connor lost to now Rep. Troy Balderson by 0.8 points in August special election. Since that narrow defeat, Democrats have come roaring back. Balderson, like most other House Republicans across the country, is struggling to raise money or find any enthusiasm for his campaign. The biggest reason is that Republicans dumped millions of dollars into keeping the seat in their column a few months ago.

Republicans aren’t fired up for this election. Their model of dumping millions of dollars into House races in red districts worked in special elections but has proven to be unsustainable in general election campaigns. House Republicans don’t have enough cash to prop up all of their struggling candidates.

Democrats are showing their enthusiasm for the midterm election by donating to candidates. People who donate to a candidate are virtual locks to vote. The fundraising gap is an omen. The blue wave is alive and well, and it is getting ready to sweep Republicans out of office in 21 days.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association