House Democrats Struggle with Fundraising Ahead of Midterms
A number of House Democrats—over a dozen, in fact—are falling behind in fundraising compared to their opponents as the midterm elections in November approach. This situation is particularly concerning for several members who are considered vulnerable as they gear up for re-election.
Some reports indicate that the funding figures for certain Democratic incumbents are somewhat lackluster, especially against both Republican challengers and primary opponents. This comes at a time when the party is aiming to reclaim a majority in the House by 2026. Interestingly, the fundraising numbers for the fourth quarter of 2025, running from October to December, are expected to be filed at the end of January.
Among the Democratic lawmakers criticized by Republican challengers are Rep. Dina Titus from Nevada, Rep. Don Davis in North Carolina, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Rep. Frank Murban of Indiana, and Rep. Val Hoyle of Oregon.
Rep. Titus, serving her seventh term and representing a suburb of Las Vegas, has raised just under $300,000 for the fourth quarter of 2025. In comparison, her Republican opponent Carrie Buck has reported raising around $350,000 during the same period.
Moreover, there’s a notable cash imbalance in Nevada, with Titus having $841,000 and Buck at $300,000. However, this gap might shrink as the elections draw near.
In North Carolina, Republican Laurie Buckhout has loaned her campaign $2 million in a bid to take the lead over incumbent Davis, who raised just over $515,000. Davis is viewed as one of the most at-risk Democratic incumbents for the upcoming elections, especially after redistricting favored Republicans in the area.
In safe Democratic seats, more than a dozen incumbents did manage to overcome their primary challengers in the last quarter of 2025. Notably, some of the intra-party battles are happening in districts where Republicans have scant chances of making inroads.
Rep. Steve Cohen from Tennessee has been in office for nearly 20 years, representing Memphis, but he raised only $84,000 this past quarter—a stark contrast to his primary opponent, Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson, who brought in $732,000. Pearson gained national attention in 2023 when he was expelled from the state Legislature after participating in gun control protests.
Former Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush, also in the running, criticized U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell as he faced challenges in the primary elections. Bush raised over $525,000 while Bell collected $454,000, though incumbents still hold a significant cash advantage overall.
In deep-blue Michigan, Democratic Rep. Shuli Thanedar faced backlash from her primary opponent, state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who reported earnings of $263,000. Thanedar’s campaign noted a significant loss of $1.9 million in the quarter, mainly due to dropping cryptocurrency values, yet she still has around $6.4 million on hand.
Rep. Sheila Chafferas McCormick from Florida reported relatively low fundraising of $119,000 amid more serious legal troubles involving accusations of misappropriating FEMA funds. If convicted, she could face significant prison time.
It’s worth noting that over 20 Republican incumbents also fell short against Democratic competitors during the same period, with some updates highlighting a struggling landscape for certain Republican candidates like Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, who is lagging behind competitors.
