House and Senate candidates raise $239 million

Candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives raised a total of $239 million from January 1 through June 30, 2007. Candidates seeking election in 2008 to the 33 U.S. Senate seats reported raising $80.6 million during the first six months of 2007. Democratic Senate candidates raised $47.6 million while Republicans raised $33 million. Candidates for the House of Representatives reported raising $157.8 million in the first six months of this year, with Democrats raising $94.2 million and Republicans raising $63.6 million.

U.S. Senate

Fundraising totals for the 59 individual Senate campaigns in 2007 are similar to the same period in 2005, when receipts totaled $84.8 million. In 2001, when this same group of 33 Senate seats was last up for election, 56 candidates raised $43 million during the first six months of that year.

From January 1 through June 30, 2007, contributions from individuals to Senate candidates accounted for $45.7 million, or 57 percent of the total raised. Political action committee (PAC) contributions to Senate candidates totaled $17.9 million, representing 22 percent of receipts.

Senate candidates ended the first six months of 2007 with $106.8 million cash-on-hand and debts of $6.4 million, some of which were from previous elections.

U.S. House of Representatives

Campaign finance reports filed by House candidates for the period from January 1 through June 30, 2007, show 427 House incumbents reporting receipts of $135.5 million, a $22.3 million (or 16.3 percent) increase from the same period in 2005. Individuals contributed $65.1 million to House incumbents, while PAC contributions totaled $65.6 million, in the first half of 2007. From January 1 through June 30 of this year, 228 incumbent Democrats raised $80.3 million, while 199 incumbent Republicans raised $55.2 million. Democratic members reported $122.4 million in cash-on-hand at the end of the reporting period, and Republicans reported $94.4 million.

The median receipt value for Democratic House incumbents was $262,521, up from $188,745 in the first six months of 2005. For Republican members, the median this year was $241,027, down from $245,137 in 2005. (An equal number of candidates had receipts above and below these median values.)

Receipts for the 43 Democratic House freshmen totaled $22 million, while the 16 Republican freshmen reported receipts of $5 million. Democratic freshmen had median receipts of $499,360, while the median for Republican freshmen was $218,760.

Non-incumbents raised a total of $22.3 million for House races during the first six months of 2007, with 119 Democrats raising $13.9 million and 78 Republicans raising $8.4 million. In the same period in 2005, 79 Democrats raised $6.8 million and 60 Republicans raised $7.5 million.

More information is available in an FEC Press release dated August 22, 2007. The release, which is available on the FEC website at https://www.fec.gov/updates/2008-congressional-candidates-raise-239-million-in-first-half-of-2007/includes tables detailing fundraising totals for the top 50 House members in the following categories: total receipts, contributions from individuals, PAC contributions, disbursements, and cash on hand. Comparative charts and graphs are also included, along with summary statistical information for each Senate candidate. Financial activity for these Senate candidates in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 is also included.