Opinion: Weird political $$$ game: RNC thumps DNC but Hill Democrats outraise GOP counterparts

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This may not look like a good year politically for the Republicans, but they’re doing great in one money-raising department.

According to fresh figures in required reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, and mined by The Times’ diligent Dan Morain, the Republican National Committee had $40.6 million in the bank at the end of April, compared with the Democratic National Committee’s $4.4 million. President Bush has been particularly helpful in attracting money at fund-raisers from the GOP faithful.

Good thing because the RNC will be counted on to finance much of the activity for its presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, who’s been so-so in the fund-raising department. His best month was $20 million, less than half of Sen. Barack Obama‘s best month’s haul.

The RNC has outraised the DNC so far in this 2007-08 cycle: $143.3 million to $77.6 million.

But here’s where it gets kind of interesting: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is creaming the National Republican Congressional Committee. The DCCC has raised $92.9 million to the NRCC’s $69.2 million. And those Democrats have $45.3 million in the bank, compared with $6.7 million for the Republican congressional campaign committee.

These numbers underscore the power of incumbency. The DCCC had $22.8 million in the bank at this point two years ago, compared with the NRCC’s $23 million.

The situation is similar on the Senate side. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has raised $76.5 million and had $37.5 million in the bank at the end of April. The National Republican Senatorial Committee had raised $47.9 million, and had $19.4 million in the bank.

Of course, individual senate and congressional candidates are expected to raise their own money. But the coordinated campaign efforts by the parties suggest that the Democrats are heading into November with a significant overall advantage.

-- Andrew Malcolm