Party financial activity for 2009

During the first six months of 2009, Democratic and Republican party committees that filed disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) raised a combined $214.6 million and spent $164.9 million. Democratic party committees reported the receipt of $109.8 million, representing a decrease in fundraising by 1.8 percent over 2007 totals between January 1 and June 30, but a 26.4 percent increase in receipts compared to the same period in 2005, the last non-Presidential cycle. Republican party committees raised $104.8 million, representing a 3.8 percent and 26.6 percent decrease in receipts when compared to the same period in 2007 and 2005, respectively.

The charts below detail fundraising by national and state and local committees during the first six months of the election cycle. The chart on the left shows fundraising by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the federal accounts of state and local Democratic party committees.

The chart on the right shows fundraising by the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the federal accounts of state and local Republican party committees.

Contributions from individuals constituted the bulk of the receipts for both parties. Democrats reported receiving $76.6 million from individuals and $24.2 million from political action committees (PACs) and House and Senate members’ campaign committees. Republicans reported receiving $78.1 million from individuals and $9.3 million from PACs and House and Senate members’ campaign committees. At the end of June, Democratic party committees had $37.8 million cash on hand and debts of $15.8 million, and Republican party committees had $54.1 million in cash on hand and debts of $6.9 million. Additional information is available in a press release dated August 19, 2009. The release is available on the FEC website at FEC Summarizes Political Party Activity from January 1 through June 30, 2009