The Democratic National Committee has been battered since the 2016 presidential election, and in the face of mounting political losses, donations are dwindling at a time the Party needs them more than ever. The Republican National Committee broke a fundraising record and raised more than $100 million during the first nine months of 2017, fueled by small-dollar donors, out-raising the DNC by a ratio of greater than 2:1. The DNC also had over $3 million in debt on the books, while the RNC had zero.
In October, the stats shifted even further in the RNC’s favor, with the DNC raising only 3.9 million to the RNC’s $9.2 million. By the end of October 2017, the RNC had $42.5 million in cash on hand, while the DNC had only $5 million. This marked the worst October in 15 years for the DNC’s fundraising.
In November, the RNC out-raised the DNC by $2.5 million, further increasing their lead in cash on hand.
The statistics aren’t in yet for December, but we imagine they are’t great either. In fact, while they’re not even released yet, a top Party official at the DNC is already out after less than a year at the job, as the group’s financial troubles mount.
According to the Daily Wire,
Jess O’Connell, the former EMILY’s List Executive Director, took over the DNC as CEO in May 2017 after the party endured multiple special election losses to the Republicans and as Clinton-loyalist Tom Perez took over as the new chairman, NBC News reported.
O’Connell’s decision is reportedly “a personal one,” NBC reports, citing an unnamed DNC official. The timing was intended to “cause minimal disruption ahead of November’s midterm elections,” but NBC notes that it comes on the heels of the DNC booting its finance director “following a period of weak fundraising, as well as a shakeup last year that reignited tensions with Sanders’ allies.”
O’Connell’s departure comes just two days after a report highlighting the deep concern felt by Democrats across the country over the party’s lack of funding and how that could stifle any momentum they think they might have heading into the 2018 midterms. While the DNC struggles, the Republican National Committee is thriving, smashing fundraising records late last year and raising roughly twice as much money as the Democrats.
DNC head Tom Perez is leading a sinking ship. 2020 should be a blast.
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