WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats' campaign arm again outraised its Republican rival last month and borrowed $5.2 million to buy a Capitol Hill home next to its headquarters, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday.
And in the House of Representatives, the Democrats last month again outraised Republican rivals despite long odds of ousting the GOP from the majority, according to finance reports filed Friday.
Both Senate campaign groups' fundraising summaries showed donors were continuing to open wallets. Democrats are defending a narrow majority, and strategists from both parties say Republicans have a shot at picking up the six seats they need to outnumber Democrats for the first time since 2006.
Democratic donors gave $8.3 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in May. At the same time, officials said the committee has saved $28.2 million.
GOP donors, meanwhile, gave the National Republican Senatorial Committee $5.8 million in May. The committee has saved $22.1 million.
Both committees are amassing sizable bank accounts to pay for on-the-ground operatives and television ads in tight races.
Democrats have outraised Republicans in 15 of the past 17 months.
In all, the Senate committees have raised a combined $154 million.
The Democrats' summary also showed the committee took on a $5.2 million mortgage for the Mott House, which has campaign committee offices and is a frequent venue for Democratic fundraisers. Senate Democrats for the past 11 years had leased the house, which is located steps from the Senate grounds and is a favorite among donors.
The Democrats' campaign committee owns a separate office building next door.
Apart from the mortgage, Democrats said their campaign arm was free of debt.
In the House, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $7.3 million in May while the National Republican Congressional Committee collected $6 million. The Democrats' House-oriented committee has now outraised its GOP counterpart in 15 of the past 17 months.
Combined, the committees have raised $241 million this cycle and have banked $81 million, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
Those sums, however, might be irrelevant to deciding the balance of power in the House. Redrawn congressional districts after the 2010 census heavily favor Republicans, and the party that holds the White House historically has lost seats in elections at this point in a president's term. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, is unpopular in many congressional districts.
House Republicans have 233 seats and Democrats have 199 seats. There are three vacancies.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has amassed $45.9 million in the bank and is ready to empty it on ads this fall. Democrats have booked $44 million in advertising time for November's elections.
House Republicans have banked $35.2 million and have reserved $30 million in air time.
A Section on 06/21/2014