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After his election as Republican National Committee chairman a year ago, Reince Priebus inherited an organization that was more than $20 million in debt and that had lost some of its biggest donors.
Additionally, Priebus got off to a slow start; as this author wrote back in July, the RNC under his watch actually raised less in the second quarter of 2011 than the Michael Steele-led RNC did in the second quarter of 2009.
But things have begun to turn around for Priebus on the fundraising front.
After raising just $37.3 million in the first half of 2011, the RNC raised nearly $51 million in the second half -- actually outraising the Democratic National Committee over that same period of time. (However, the DNC outraised the RNC for all of 2011, about $110 million to $88 million.)
What's more, the RNC has cut its debt in half -- from more than $20 million in January to $11.8 million now.
And in a reversal of Steele's biggest shortcoming -- which was spending, not necessarily raising money -- the RNC currently has more than $23 million in the bank as of Jan. 31, compared with the DNC's more than $15 million.
RNC officials point to a few reasons for the turnaround. One, they've lured back some of the big donors who jumped ship during the Steele era. Two, they've been more effective (and cost-effective) in getting grassroots donors to contribute (raising $5.9 million out of its $10.4 million Jan. 2012 from those giving less than $200). And three, they've made a concerted effort to show RNC donors -- both big and small -- the fruits of their labors (like their web videos).
"They want to know we're making the case [against President Obama and the Democrats] every day," RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer tells First Read.
Below is a month-by-month look at the RNC vs. DNC fundraising since Jan. 2011:
Republican National Committee
Jan. 2011: $5.7 million
Feb. 2011: $5.3 million
March 2011: $7.2 million
April 2011: $6.1 million
May 2011: $6.2 million
June 2011: $6.8 million
July 2011: $6.1 million
Aug. 2011: $8.2 million
Sept. 2011: $9.3 million
Oct. 2011: $8.5 million
Nov. 2011: $7.2 million
Dec 2011: $11.6 million
Jan. 2012: $10.4 million
Democratic National Committee
Jan. 2011: $7.2 million
Feb. 2011: $7.1 million
March 2011: $6.7 million
April 2011: $14.0 million
May 2011: $10.5 million
June 2011: $12.2 million
July 2011: $6.9 million
Aug. 2011: $5.4 million
Sept. 2011: $14.7 million
Oct. 2011: $8.0 million
Nov. 2011: $6.7 million
Dec. 2011: $8.9 million
Jan. 2012: $13.3 million
Leave a Comment:
You're giving credit where none is due...
The RNC could have Jeffrey Dahmer at the helm & it would't matter one bit!
The party of pale male & stale are opening their checkbooks because they cannot stand the thought of having the black man occupying THEIR White House for another 4 years!
You got it right Feisty, Hate that is their fuel, they will do anything, spend any amount......but in the long run....hate won't buy them loyalty the same way the Dems support the Pres. that has no price.
What the hell are you blathering about?
Or are you just begging for some attention?
You two do realize that Obama got more white people to vote for him than any President in our history, right?
People in my circle are going to vote him out of office not because he is black but because he sucks at his job.
Why is that difficult to understand? His own spokesperson Carney just said that obama "didn't turn down the keystone pipeline". Not only does Obama suck at his job but he has his mouthpiece blatantly lie to the American public. At least Jake Tapper showed a rare bit of non-bias and pressed Carney on it.
Rob - People in your office with a brain are going to vote for him again - because he is the best thing going. Are your co-workers so dense they will vote for Santorum or Romney - who don't share a brain between them and have fewer ethics and integrity than a snake? My guess is your co-workers are not as stupid as you give them credit for being.
The Keystone Pipeline was not wanted by the GOP governors whose states it was to run through. It has not been "turned down" just sent to be revised into a more acceptable form. But, clearly you know that and are spreading blatant lies against Obama.
Oh, and Feisty, he's just begging for attention! Hi there!
Obama Biden 2012
Thats the clear choice.
America rules!
Okay, I'll bite.....if they have $23 million in the bank, why do they still have $11.8 million in debts? Aren't Republicans supposed to have all the great ideas about debt reduction?
Every Republican President since the first world war has left office with more debt then when they entered office, not so with the Dems...
The "Really Not Competent" (RNC) have a "Ship Of GOP Spewers" with many political holes, and it has already economically crashed on the rocks. The Confederate Flag is flying high on the GOP "Ship Of Clowns." On the bow of the GOP "Religious Ship Wreck is the Radical Right Wing Religious leader "Goofy Graham." This individual is very Emotionally Disturbed! He has NO facts, No intellectual thoughts, NO sense of decency, and is a liar. What "Freaky Franklin Graham" needs to understand that the President is a Christian, and NOT a Muslum. The President is NOT a terrorist, however he will kill all terrorists who are a threat to the United States. The President does NOT have a Moslum Agenda, and "Freaky Franklin" is just Cognitively Disabled. "Goofy Graham" is just "Culturally Corrupt," Socially Evil, and is very intolerant. Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! The Party Of NO has got to go!!
Every one from the right and left have a great evening it doesn't matter how much Mr. Priebus raises his party is about to get slammed.
Cut spending GOPers. Isn't that what it's all about? Cut revenue like cutting taxes helps too, right? So practice what you preach. Hypocrisy thy name is Republican.