WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Republican candidates have overtaken Democrats in fundraising with two weeks to go before the United States' midterm elections, finance reports show.
GOP House candidates reported raising $104 million from July through September, compared with $89 million for Democrats, The Washington Post reported Sunday, citing new disclosure records. In the 18 top Senate races, Republicans brought in nearly $60 million against less than $40 million for Democrats.
Republican House candidates had trailed behind Democrats by $3 million in the previous quarter. GOP challengers in 34 crucial districts out-raised the Democratic incumbents.
The fundraising surge by individual campaigns comes as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other Republican allies have spent more than $150 million, mostly in the past few weeks.
The unprecedented wave is being funded in part by a few rich donors, such as oil and gas industry chief executives, construction magnates and other tycoons. Recent court rulings have made it easier to make -- and hide -- unlimited political contributions.
Democrats still have an advantage at the party level, where their Senate and House campaign committees brought in more than $31 million in the third quarter, records show. Their Republican counterparts pulled in less than $20 million.
