Senate Dems top GOP in first quarter fundraising by $3.1 million

The Democratic Senate campaign arm outraised its Republican counterpart by more than $3 million in the first quarter, according to numbers first obtained by The Hill.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) raised $5.26 million in March, bringing its first quarter total to $14 million, the committee’s best first quarter in a non-election year ever.

{mosads}The National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $4.88 million in March for a first quarter total of $10.9 million.

The DSCC has outraised the NRSC every month this year.

“Over the past several months, the Senate Republican majority has shown they are simply incapable of governing responsibly, and it’s no coincidence that the DSCC simultaneously had our best off-year first quarter ever,” DSCC Director Tom Lopach said in a statement. “Our supporters are standing with us and helping us bank the resources we need as we seek to win the majority in 2016 and re-focus the attention of the Senate on matters that will boost working folks.”

The DSCC raised its cash-on-hand from $5.5 million at the end of February to $7.1 million at the end of March. The group paid off about $1.3 million in liabilities over the last month, bringing its total outstanding debt down to $13.7 million.

The NRSC ended March with $5.2 million in cash on hand and $6 million in debt.

In 2016, Republicans will be defending 24 Senate seats, compared with only 10 for Democrats. The GOP currently has an eight-seat advantage in the upper chamber.