Democrats dominate midterm fundraising as Vance rallies upstate New York

The latest:

Democratic candidates are heading into Tuesday’s midterm voting with a commanding money advantage, led by Texas Senate candidate James Talarico’s $146.3 million haul through mid-October, CNN reported from the final filings to the Federal Election Commission. Vice President JD Vance spent Monday campaigning in rural upstate New York, touting Donald Trump’s record even as the president’s economic approval rating sank to 25%.

Details:

• Top fundraiser: Talarico, a Texas state representative running for the US Senate, raised $146.3 million through mid-October, CNN reported, citing the last pre-election filings with the Federal Election Commission. More than half of that total, $75.3 million, came from small donors giving under $200 each.
• Why small donors matter: Donors below the $200 threshold can give repeatedly without hitting contribution limits, and their numbers are read as a measure of grassroots enthusiasm. Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff showed comparable strength, collecting $66.7 million from that category.
• The rankings: Ossoff placed second overall with $136.6 million, CNN reported. Former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown, seeking a return to the Senate from Ohio, came third with $68.4 million. All three leading fundraisers are Democrats.
• House standout: New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led all House candidates with $38 million through mid-October, outraising every Senate candidate except five, even though statewide campaigns typically pull in larger sums. Small donors supplied $24.4 million of her total.
• Vance on the trail: The vice president attacked Democrats as crazy at an aircraft hangar at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York, Monday, warning that failing to elect Republicans could push the country leftward, according to the Associated Press.
• His pitch: Vance promoted legislation Trump signed eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay, AP reported. He told the crowd that voters in New York’s 21st congressional district were fighting for people who love the United States rather than those who hate it.
• A notable omission: Vance appeared on behalf of two Republicans competing for House seats, but made no mention of Bruce Blakeman, the Republican challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul.
• The economic backdrop: Approval of Trump’s handling of the economy fell to 25% last month, according to the Associated Press, a figure that sits against the Republican closing argument built on tax cuts.
• Michigan race: Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said Monday in Ypsilanti that he is not thinking much about former primary rival Representative Haley Stevens, and is focused on issues affecting state residents, particularly young people. Asked whether he had a message for her, he answered: “No.”
• His framing: El-Sayed said voters who understand the moment, and who see what the current administration and its follower Mike Rogers intend to do, will choose a different path. He did not address Stevens breaking with her party.

Between the lines:

The money picture and the campaign messaging point in different directions. Republicans are closing on tax relief on tips and overtime while Trump’s economic approval sits at 25%, and the three largest fundraising hauls of the cycle all belong to Democrats, including one from a state legislator who out-raised sitting senators.

What’s next

Polls open Tuesday. Watch the Michigan Senate race between El-Sayed and Mike Rogers, the New York governor’s contest between Hochul and Blakeman, and whether Talarico’s Texas spending advantage converts into votes.

Sources: