McCarthy releases fundraising distribution numbers in effort for GOP to win back House

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EXCLUSIVE: House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy already doled out nearly $11 million this year to help Republicans win back the House in 2022.

McCarthy's "Take Back The House" fundraising entity gave more than $5.5 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), $4 million to individual GOP members and nearly $2 million to state parties in the first quarter of 2021, Fox News has learned.

The money giveaway is part of McCarthy's ongoing effort to assist members of Congress who recently won tight elections, including some in the history-making GOP freshman class. If his efforts are successful, he'll replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as the next speaker of the House. 

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The $11 million distribution to those three major entities is up from $10.4 million during the same time last year, but the difference is McCarthy is funneling more of that money directly into the campaign coffers of individual members and less into the NRCC, the large campaign arm for all House Republicans.

McCarthy's committee this year boosted the campaign coffers of 57 Republican House members as they set out to win another term in office, including GOP Reps. Claudia Tenney of New York, Michelle Steel of California, Ashley Hinson of Iowa, Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma and Don Bacon of Nebraska. 

The average distribution for the members was about $71,000, according to McCarthy's campaign. In comparison, last year the average distribution in the first quarter was about just over $10,000 to 54 House members. 

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McCarthy said he was pleased with the opening fundraising salvo of the 2022 election cycle.

"The enthusiasm for a Republican majority is building, and the first quarter returns show just how ready the American people are to retire Nancy Pelosi from the Speaker's chair," McCarthy said in a statement to Fox News. "The resources allocated today will help our members and state parties lay the groundwork for a successful election cycle. I look forward to winning back the House majority in November 2022."

FILE: In this Jan. 21, 2021, photo, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Just two weeks ago, McCarthy declared then-President Donald Trump culpable in the attack on the nation’s Capitol as Washington leaders recoiled from the violence. But on Jan. 28, McCarthy was meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring of a man who remains the undisputed leader of the Republican Party. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Take Back the House is a joint fundraising committee that raises money with McCarthy and his affiliated PACs, as well as the NRCC. It’s designed to help swing district incumbents stay in office.

In all, Take Back the House raised and spent about $25 million in 2020 alone and ended the year with $554,000 in cash on-hand during the high-stakes presidential election year.

Last year, Republicans didn't win back the House but came very close. At a time when Democrats and pollsters were predicting Speaker Nancy Pelosi would expand her 2018 majority by double-digits, Democrats ended up losing many swing-district seats in places like Florida, Texas, California and Iowa. 

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House Democrats currently have a narrow majority of 219 seats compared to the Republicans' 211 seats, with five vacancies.

The last time the majority was this slim was 20 years ago when Republicans were in control. A House majority requires 218 seats.

The party in power in the White House traditionally loses seats during midterm elections after a presidential year, so Republicans are feeling especially optimistic about picking up more seats in 2022. Since President Biden was elected, Republicans have been united in resisting his key legislative priorities, including the $1.9 trillion coronavirus package that passed with just Democratic support. 

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The distribution numbers released to Fox News represent one of McCarthy's seven major fundraising accounts. Other entities include Kevin McCarthy for Congress, Majority Committee PAC, McCarthy Victory Fund, Take Back the House Texas, Take Back the House California and Majority Rising.

The quarterly figures for all the accounts are due April 15.