The Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday to loosen campaign finance laws by allowing party committees to coordinate with candidates is a boon for Republicans and threatens to deepen Democratic fundraising woes.
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The court essentially supercharged Republicans’ almost $150 million committee fundraising cash advantage relative to Democrats, giving Republicans another large pot of money to use in what could be a challenging midterm election.
The most dramatic divide is between the Republican National Committee, which ended May with $125 million in the bank, and the Democratic National Committee, which ended the month $3 million in debt.
The heads of the three major Democratic committees lamented the decision Tuesday, labeling it “a win for billionaire donors and special interests.” Republicans said they were ready to use the ruling to their advantage in the midterms.
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Under earlier rules, there were strict limits on what party committees could do for candidates. But these new guidelines are likely to upend how committees funnel money into TV ads and campaigns.
“Every Republican campaign essentially inherits a much bigger trust fund than any of the Democrats inherit,” Jesse Ferguson, a longtime Democratic operative, said ahead of the ruling.
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