Cunningham campaign breaks NC fundraising record for Senate race in run vs. Tillis
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham will report raising $7.4 million in the second quarter of 2020, a figure that appears to be a record for Senate candidates from North Carolina in any quarter.
The second-quarter fundraising period ended June 30. Campaigns must report their totals to the Federal Election Commission by July 15.
Cunningham is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis in one of the most closely watched races in the country. Republicans hold 53 seats in the chamber, and any realistic path to a Democratic majority in the Senate includes winning North Carolina.
“Our campaign is so grateful to the thousands of North Carolinians lending their support to this campaign, showing that people across the state are ready to elect Cal and put this seat back to work to protect their health care and take on corruption in Washington,” Cunningham campaign manager Devan Barber said in a statement.
At the end of March, Tillis had raised $11.7 million total and had $6.4 million cash on hand. Cunningham had raised $7.7 million and had $3.0 million cash on hand. Cunningham raised $4.4 million in the first quarter of 2020, while Tillis raised $2.1 million.
Cunningham’s campaign said it would report having $6.6 million cash on hand in its federal report. Cunningham has not held an in-person fundraiser since the coronavirus pandemic led to closures in North Carolina in March.
The Tillis campaign has not released fundraising numbers for the second quarter.
An examination of quarterly FEC reports for North Carolina Senate candidates back to the 1980 election indicates the previous record for one quarter was Sen. Kay Hagan’s $4.8 million in the third quarter of the 2014 race.
The campaigns seem certain to exceed recent fundraising totals in North Carolina U.S. Senate races. A recent CNBC poll showed Cunningham with a 51-41 lead, but every other recent poll has shown a close race within the margin of error between the two.
Both Tillis and Cunningham have launched television ads.
In 2016, incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr raised $13 million for his successful re-election. Democratic challenger Deborah Ross raised $14.4 million total.
The 2014 race between Tillis and Hagan, the Democratic incumbent, was the most expensive in U.S. Senate history at that point. There was more than $123.9 million spent by all candidates and outside groups, and Hagan and Tillis combined to raise more than $35.8 million. Tillis won the race by 1.7 points.
Hagan raised more than $2 million in the second quarter and finished June with $4.2 million cash on hand, according to reports at the time. Tillis, who had not yet won the Republican nomination, had about $750,000 cash on hand.
In addition to the candidates’ spending, outside groups have pledged millions to the North Carolina race. The National Republican Senatorial Committee released its first ad of the race Sunday, calling Cunningham a “progressive liberal.”
Libertarian Party nominee Shannon Bray and Constitution Party nominee Kevin Hayes will also be on the Nov. 3 ballot. Neither candidate reported raising any money as of the end of March.
Absentee mail ballots will be sent to voters beginning Sept. 4 and the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9 except for those registering and voting at the same time during the in-person early voting period that begins Oct. 15.
Cooper raises big total
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s campaign raised $5.5 million in the second quarter for his re-election bid against Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest. The Cooper campaign said it has $14 million cash on hand.
Cooper’s campaign said in a statement that it has received more than 100,000 contributions.
“North Carolina is in the best possible hands right now under Governor Cooper as we face this public health crisis,” campaign spokeswoman Liz Doherty said.
Forest’s campaign has not released fundraising numbers for the second quarter, but sent out a request for contributions highlighting Cooper’s high numbers. “You can count on millions of dollars being spent to blanket the state with negative campaign ads against Dan,” the email said.
Reports for state elections are due to the North Carolina State Board of Elections by Friday.
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This story was originally published July 6, 2020 at 12:29 PM with the headline "Cunningham campaign breaks NC fundraising record for Senate race in run vs. Tillis."
