How significant is the fundraising gap between Democrats and Republicans?

Joe Biden’s Democratic Party is bringing in more small donations and raising more in key races ahead of the midterms, writes Chris Stevenson

Downtown Washington, DC, with the US Capitol building visible in the centre (Getty/iStock)

Political fundraising, whether we like it or not, is the lifeblood for many campaigns – so what can current fundraising trends tell us about the position of the Democrats and the Republicans ahead of the midterms in November?

Although the GOP still has the upper hand in terms of midterm predictions, with most political analysts suggesting that the party could take control of the House of Representatives at least, there is positive news for the Democrats in terms of fundraising.

In the Senate, Pennsylvania Democrat, and current Lieutenant Governor, John Fetterman – who has been off the campaign trail for around two months after a life-threatening stroke – raised nearly $11m (£9.2m) during the second quarter of the year (until 30 June). That was double the $5.5m raised by his Republican rival, the celebrity heart surgeon Mehmet Oz.