The DNC fundraising crisis is deepening as the Democratic National Committee falls far behind its Republican rival in cash and donor support. By the end of June, the RNC reported $80 million on hand, compared to just $15 million for the DNC, Politico reported. The gap has only widened, with Democrats holding less cash this summer than at any point in the past five years.
Frustration with DNC chairman Ken Martin is fueling the collapse. One committee member called him “weak and whiny,” while another said he has been “invisible.” The division has shaken donors, who are pulling back support. “Donors see the DNC as rudderless, off message and leaderless,” a Democratic adviser admitted. That discontent has driven wealthy donors to withhold money while small-dollar contributions fail to keep pace with Republican gains.
The DNC has already burned through more than $15 million covering expenses from Kamala Harris’s failed presidential run, leaving less cash to compete with President Donald Trump’s political machine. Infighting has only worsened matters. The committee ousted vice chair David Hogg after Martin blasted his $20 million plan to fund primary challenges against “ineffective, asleep-at-the-wheel” Democrats. Soon after, union leaders quit their DNC roles, and Rep. Mark Pocan (D., Wis.) complained that he would “love to have a day go by that @DNC doesn’t do something embarrassing & off message.”
As one Democratic adviser put it, “If Ken really wanted to impress donors, he’d go do 20 or 30 salon events with donors and let them yell at him. If you take that on the chin, make some changes, then I think we could see some movement. But [he’s] not going to do that.”
