WASHINGTON — Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced that it has already broken its fundraising record of $36 million set for the entire 2018 cycle. The haul far surpasses the $17 million the committee raised for the 2016 election. With over two months to go, the DLCC has unprecedented financial resources to commit to flipping state legislative seats this year.
This record breaking number also reflects the incredible success of the DLCC’s grassroots digital fundraising program, raising record sums online with nearly 400% growth compared to 2016.
“State legislative elections this November are enormously consequential, which is why we’re not taking anything for granted,” said DLCC President Jessica Post. “Our unprecedented fundraising demonstrates that Democrats are more focused on down ballot races than ever before, and we’re just getting started. We’re going to keep breaking records and we’re going to flip legislative chambers and seats across the country from red to blue in just a couple months.”
In January, the DLCC unveiled its “Flip Everything” campaign, a $50 million effort targeting more than a dozen chambers in thirteen states. With the latest fundraising numbers, the committee is poised to meet its ambitious goal of spending five times the amount it spent during the last redistricting cycle in 2010, when Republican gains allowed the GOP to control redistricting and draw themselves into undemocratic majorities across the country.
This year, however, Democrats across the country are fired up to flip state legislative seats, directing incredible grassroots support and attention to majorities in the nation’s statehouses. The DLCC is the largest exclusive state legislative spender, and the committee’s investments help drive resources from a constellation of Democratic allies to target states.
The DLCC’s impressive growth since Trump’s election has helped state Democrats flip over 450 seats and 10 chambers from red to blue. Unprecedented financial resources enabled early investments in campaign infrastructure in critical states, giving campaigns and partners on the ground the tools they need to wage and win strong campaigns this November.
“It’s no secret that we took our eye off the ball a decade ago, but that’s not going to happen again,” added Post. “Democrats across the country are united in the importance of taking back state legislatures this year. Republicans are running scared because they know we’re going to hold them accountable. The clock is ticking for these extremist Republican majorities, and we’re going to defeat them in November.”
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