Senate GOP raises $2.5M in January

The National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $2.5 million in January and ended the month with $4.1 million cash on hand. 

The group still holds $10 million in debt as it begins the 2016 cycle largely on defense, but Senate Democrats are in the red $15 million and had just $1 million in the bank at the end of December. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has not announced its January fundraising numbers yet. 

{mosads}The NRSC’s January total is about $1 million more than in January of 2013, the off-year start ahead of the 2014 midterm cycle. The haul is also a bump from the $2.7 million cash on hand it had at the end of 2014 and the $1.5 million the group raised in December. 

The DSCC outraised and outspent the NRSC in the last election cycle, but outside conservative groups picked up the slack and helped Republicans pick up nine seats and gain control of the upper chamber.

Democrats are hopeful they can take the Senate back in 2016, when 24 Republican senators will be up for reelection compared to only 10 Democrats.