GOP committee to elect Republican officials at state level touts record fundraising haul

EXCLUSIVE: A GOP political organization dedicated to electing Republicans to state legislative and executive offices across the nation is highlighting what it calls a "record" second quarter fundraising haul in an off-election year.

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) will announce on Wednesday that, along with its strategic policy partner, the State Government Leadership Foundation, it hauled in a combined $6.5 million in fundraising during the April-June quarter, which the RSLC said is the most it’s ever brought in in the second quarter of an odd year. 

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The RSLC, in sharing its fundraising figures first with Fox News, noted that combined with its record-breaking $4.2 million first-quarter haul, it has raised $10.7 million so far in 2021.

The RSLC said its fundraising was boosted by what it highlighted as a continued surge in online fundraising – shattering its second quarter of 2020 digital fundraising by 710% - thanks to the continued expansion of the committee’s low-dollar fundraising program, launched in 2019.

RSLC President Dee Duncan touted that "what we have done to continue last cycle’s streak of breaking fundraising records quarter after quarter has been a remarkable feat and will have us well positioned to make the early investments necessary to support state Republicans as they hold the line against Democrat-controlled Washington."

The committee reports attracting 10,842 new online donors the past three months, with a total of $1.5 million raised digitally, and an average online contribution of $20.48.

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While the Republicans are the minority party in the both houses of Congress and are out of power in the White House, it's a very different story in the states.

Republicans control 54% of the 7,383 total legislative seats throughout the country, according to the latest data from the National Conference on State Legislatures. And they control 61 of the nation’s 99 state legislative chambers (Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral legislature). They control 30 of the 50 state legislatures, and have total control (state house majority and control of the governor’s office) in 23 states, compared to 15 for the Democrats.

While most of the RSLC’s efforts are geared toward the 2022 elections, the group is also focusing this year on New Jersey and Virginia, which are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial and legislative contests in the year after a presidential election.

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The RSLC told Fox News its second-quarter haul has "allowed the committee to invest in its commitment to supporting diverse candidates who better reflect their communities." The RSLC has thus far donated over 55% of its six-figure, direct- contribution, second-quarter budget to women and minority candidates who will be on the ballot in New Jersey and Virginia in 2021. 

The Democrats control both houses of the Virginia legislature, or General Assembly, where all 100 members of the House of Delegates are up for grabs in November. The RSLC’s PAC last month launched a six-figure ad blitz targeting 13 state House Democrats it considers vulnerable.