McCarthy raises over $10 million in Q4 for House GOP

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) raked in $10.78 million for the lower chamber’s Republicans in the fourth quarter of 2019 as the GOP seeks to close the fundraising gap with Democrats.

The haul, which brought McCarthy’s total 2019 fundraising to $52.35 million, comes as top Republicans urge their fellow lawmakers in the party to step up their own fundraising in an effort to retake the House after losing the majority in the 2018 midterms.

Nevertheless, the California Republican expressed confidence that the GOP could make gains in November’s election. 

“House Democrats are the greatest threat to the greatest economy in our lifetime. The American people don’t want socialism. They want success, and a House Republican Majority in 2021 with a re-elected Trump presidency will be ready to achieve it,” McCarthy said in a statement Tuesday. 

“We are united and prepared to win at the ballot box nationwide — with a compelling message and the most prolific recruiting class since 2010. These factors, along with President Trump’s ability to ignite Republican turnout lead me to believe we are on the cusp of delivering another Republican revolution.” 

McCarthy’s confidence comes despite a substantial fundraising gap between Democrats and Republicans. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the body charged with electing Democrats to the House, outpaced its GOP counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), by $40 million last year. 

McCarthy and other top officials warned lawmakers of the deficit at a closed-door meeting Tuesday, with the California Republican telling his members, “We’re getting our ass kicked.” 

“It’s not so much we’re doing badly or lagging where we’ve been,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a former NRCC chairman who attended Tuesday’s meeting. “You’ve got to tip your hat off to them, and we’ve got to do more.”