Democrats "well-positioned" to take back House and have big leg up in fundraising, campaign committee says

In a memo obtained exclusively by CBS News, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says its effort to elect more Democrats to the House in November was enjoying a major fundraising edge over Republicans even before this week's historic transition at the top of the ballot.  

The memo, which is slated for release Tuesday, also said the political "message hasn't changed" for Democrats seeking House seats, despite the announcement by President Biden that he won't seek re-election and the burgeoning campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris.

The memo says, "Despite a volatile month of ever-evolving political news, House Democrats remain well-positioned to win back the majority this fall," citing what the committee calls a "continued fundraising advantage."

The committee's report says the party's top challengers and frontline incumbents hold an average fundraising advantage of approximately $400,000 in some of the most competitive Congressional districts nationwide in recent months. The memo says the most recent finalized quarterly fundraising totals show Democratic candidates in some of the most contentious races raised an average of $1 million during the most recent three-month stretch for which the party's campaign reports were made available.

Several House Democrats facing the stiffest re-election challenges were among the first wave of Democrats to call for Mr. Biden to withdraw from the 2024 election, including Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI).\

Though it doesn't mention the president by name or reference his decision to bow out of the race, the DCCC memo reviewed by CBS News argues the party is cultivating diverse viewpoints among its candidates reflected in an "independent" streak. The memo says, "The message hasn't changed."

It says, "Democrats run common sense, independent-minded candidates who reflect the diversity of our nation and are focused on kitchen table issues. For House Democrats, differing viewpoints and candid conversations are a welcome way to push towards solutions." 

House Democrats have been bullish on their prospects of re-taking the majority in November through flipping a handful of battleground districts from red-to-blue, including multiple districts in suburban New York City and California. Campaign strategists and House incumbents questioned whether Mr. Biden's June debate performance and faltering national poll numbers were damaging the party's House campaign efforts.

The DCCC memo argues the party is poised to benefit from an edge among younger voters, including those with diverse backgrounds. The memo says, "We also anticipate renewed enthusiasm from Democratic and independent voters, voters of color, and younger voters – a key driver for Democratic turnout up and down the ballot, which remains key to our success in November."

A National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson told CBS News Republicans are "gleefully watching Democrats fall in line with the most extreme progressive presidential nominee in history."

The spokesperson also said, "Democrats are making clear they want to remake America in the image of Kamala Harris' San Francisco – no amount of money can extinguish that messaging dumpster fire."

Scott MacFarlane

Scott MacFarlane is a congressional correspondent. He has covered Washington for two decades, earning 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. His reporting has resulted directly in the passage of five new laws.

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