‘Off the charts’: Key NC Democratic legislative hopefuls have big financial edge

Heading into the election, North Carolina Democrats have a big fundraising edge over Republicans in key races — with at least two raising more than $1 million.

The state Democratic Party helped Mecklenburg House candidate Rachel Hunt and Wake County Senate candidate Sam Searcy each raise more than $1.2 million, an almost unheard of amount for a non-incumbent.

Both Hunt and Searcy are running against Republican incumbents, Rep. Bill Brawley in Mecklenburg and Sen. Tamara Barringer in Wake.

“That’s congressional-level fundraising in a competitive congressional race,” said Eric Heberlig, a UNC Charlotte political scientist. “It’s really off the charts.”

New reports show the state Democratic Party has raised $14 million this cycle. The state GOP has raised $8.7 million while the Republicans’ Senate Majority Fund has raised $3.4 million.

The fundraising is one reason Democrats are hopeful that they can break the Republican super-majorities in the N.C. House and Senate. That would give Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper more clout by making it harder for Republicans to override his vetoes. Democrats have to flip four seats in the House and six in the Senate to break those majorities.

Party spokesman Robert Howard calls the fundraising “a sign of enthusiasm.”

“It’s also a sign that there is something larger brewing in the electorate,” he said.

Democrats now have raised more money than Republican incumbent legislators in at least 26 districts. GOP candidates had a cash advantage in some competitive rural districts, the Insider reported Wednesday.

The money allows Democratic candidates to be more competitive in districts that otherwise tend to vote Republican. Hunt, for example, has outspent Brawley 8-1 on broadcast ads alone, according to WRAL’s political ad tracker.

The statewide fundraising has translated into individual races:

▪ Hunt, the daughter of former Gov. Jim Hunt, has raised nearly $1.3 million in House District 103. Brawley, who co-chairs the influential House Finance Committee, has raised $410,000.

▪ In north Mecklenburg’s House District 98, Democrat Christy Clark has raised $796,000 to Republican Rep. John Bradford’s $167,000.

▪ In south Charlotte District 104, Democrat Brandon Lofton has raised $526,000 to GOP Rep. Andy Dulin’s $289,232.

▪ With the help of a $400,000 loan to his campaign, Searcy has raised $1.2 million to Barringer’s $243,000 in Wake County’s Senate District 17.

▪ Sydney Batch, a Democratic newcomer, has raised $925,000 in Wake House District 37. A report for her opponent, GOP Rep. John Adcock, was not available.

▪ In her race against Republican House Budget Chair Nelson Dollar, Democrat Julie von Haefen has raised $736,000. Dollar has raised $412,000.

▪ And Wake Democrat Mack Paul led two-term Sen. John Alexander with $382,000 to the Republican’s $344,000.

State GOP executive director Dallas Woodhouse dismissed the significance of the reports.

“(Cooper) spends all his time raising money,” he said. “With this kind of money, there is no excuse for Democrats not to win a minimum net of 40 legislative seats, 25 in the House 15 in the Senate, and defeat all six amendments they oppose including the crime victims’ and hunting and fishing amendments.”

The state Democratic Party has invested heavily, particularly those in urban areas.

Hunt, for example, got $660,000 from the party; Clark got $629,000. Batch got $507,000. The Senate Democratic Caucus gave Searcy $152,000.

The money has allowed many of the candidates to reach voters through media.

According to WRAL, Hunt has spent $697,000 on broadcast ads. That’s more than most congressional candidates and political action committees. The N.C. Free Enterprise Foundation rates the district “strong Republican.”

“We have a really tough district,” Hunt said. “At the end of the day we want to say we’ve done everything we can. We’re like a statewide campaign rather than a local House race.”

Brawley, who has spent $82,000 on broadcast ads, according to WRAL, could not be reached.

In Wake County, Searcy has spent $343,000 on broadcast ads, according to WRAL. Barringer has spent $29,000. Senate District 17 is rated “lean Republican” by the Free Enterprise Foundation.

This story was originally published November 1, 2018 at 11:53 AM.