Many of the House incumbents in the most competitive races opened the election year in a strong financial position, according to new federal filings, although a handful of vulnerable lawmakers in both parties were outraised by potential opponents in the final months of 2025.
Reports filed with the Federal Election Commission at the end of January show how much money candidates brought in between October and December, and how much they had available at the beginning of 2026. Several Senate Democratic candidates in battleground states raised big sums during the fourth quarter, but the party faces a tough map this November, with Republicans favored to hold the chamber.
In contrast, the House, where Republicans are defending a slim majority, is up for grabs this November. And with just a month to go before primary season begins, both parties claim to have the wind at their backs.
Republicans pointed to their incumbents in swing seats besting their Democratic counterparts in fourth-quarter fundraising.
“House Republicans are running laps around vulnerable House Democrats because momentum is on our side, and the money proves it,” Mike Marinella, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement.
Democrats, meanwhile, focused on their challengers raising more than Republican challengers did in races around the country.
“Going into the on-year, momentum is on our side — and with better candidates, a better message, and the public souring on Republicans, Democrats are poised to take back the majority,” Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement.
Vulnerable incumbents outraised
Several lawmakers in races rated as competitive by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales reported lower quarterly hauls than their rivals.
Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, who has come under scrutiny over his campaign finances, was outraised by a Republican primary challenger and a Democratic rival.
Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, who entered the race last fall, reported raising $411,000 in the fourth quarter, more than the $151,000 Ogles raised. Hatcher had $174,000 on hand at the end of December, while Ogles had just $62,000 in his campaign coffers.
Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, the leading Democrat in the race, took in $413,000 in the fourth quarter and had $978,000 banked at the end of last year.
Similarly, Florida Rep. Cory Mills, the subject of a House ethics inquiry, was outraised by a Democratic challenger, Bale Dalton, a Navy veteran and former NASA chief of staff. Mills reported a haul of $61,000 for the fourth quarter and had $111,000 on hand at the end of December, while Dalton raised $344,000 and had $300,000 in the bank.
In central Pennsylvania, former TV journalist Janelle Stelson outraised GOP Rep. Scott Perry over the last three months of the year, $946,000 to $780,000. Still, Perry, who narrowly defeated Stelson in 2024, began the new year with $1.7 million on hand compared with $1.5 million for Stelson.
In Wisconsin, Rebecca Cooke, another Democrat seeking a 2024 rematch, raised $1.2 million in the fourth quarter, besting Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s haul of $931,000. Still, Van Orden had the cash-on-hand advantage, starting the year with $2.7 million in the bank compared with $2.5 million for Cooke.
In Virginia, former Rep. Elaine Luria, who launched her comeback bid in November, raised $1.1 million in the fourth quarter, more than the $730,000 brought in by GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans, who ousted Luria in 2022. Kiggans ended the year with more cash on hand, $2.3 million to Luria’s $1 million.
In a battleground district in Iowa, Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan once again outpaced the Republican she’s hoping to unseat, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, one of the chamber’s most vulnerable incumbents. But Miller-Meeks is closing the gap, bringing in $1.1 million to Bohannan’s $1.14 million. Miller-Meeks also had about $1 million more banked on Dec. 31.
In Nevada, Democratic Rep. Dina Titus lagged behind one of her GOP challengers, state Sen. Carrie Buck. Titus raised $299,000 to Buck’s $352,000, though Titus entered January with more than $841,000 in her campaign account, compared with roughly $300,000 for Buck.
And in Colorado, GOP freshman Jeff Crank was outraised by Democrat Jessica Killin for the second quarter in a row. Killin, who served as chief of staff to Doug Emhoff when he was second gentleman, pulled in $611,000 to Crank’s $307,000 and had more banked on Dec. 31.
Vulnerable incumbents outraised by self-funders
Some Republicans incumbents in battleground races were outraised by Democratic challengers who made sizable loans to their campaigns in the fourth quarter.
New York Rep. Mike Lawler raised $1.3 million, more than most of the Democrats lining up to challenge him for his Hudson Valley seat. But one challenger, tech company executive and Briarcliff Manor Deputy Mayor Peter Chatzky, loaned his campaign $5 million.
In nearby New Jersey, GOP Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr. raised $677,000 in the final three months of last year, less than the $751,000 that Democratic businessman Brian Varela brought in, which included a $550,000 loan.
And in North Carolina’s battleground 1st District, which state Republicans redrew last fall to favor their party, retired Army Col. Laurie Buckhout loaned her campaign $2 million as the Republican seeks a rematch against Democratic Rep. Don Davis, who raised $516,000 in the fourth quarter.
Incumbents outraised by primary challengers
Several districts seen as safe for either party also saw primary challengers outpace both entrenched and shorter-term incumbents.
Leading the way was Kentucky’s 4th District, where retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, bolstered by an endorsement from President Donald Trump, hauled in $1.2 million for his effort to oust fellow Republican and presidential critic Thomas Massie, who raised about half that amount. However, Massie ended the year with more than twice as much banked, $2 million versus Gallrein’s $933,000.
Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen raised $85,000, a figure dwarfed by the $732,000 brought in by state Rep. Justin Pearson, who launched his primary challenge in October. Cohen, though, ended the year with $1.8 million on hand, compared with $347,000 for his younger rival.
Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar’s campaign reported losing $1.9 million in the fourth quarter, which The Detroit News attributed to its crypto investments taking a hit. His leading primary challenger, state Rep. Donavan McKinney, raised $264,000. Still the personally wealthy Thanedar had $6.4 million in his account at the end of December, to McKinney’s $389,000.
Former Rep. David Trone, who announced in December he would seek to win back the 6th District seat he vacated in 2024 for an unsuccessful Senate run, outraised his successor, fellow Democrat April McClain Delaney. Trone, who is no stranger to self-funding, loaned his campaign $5 million. McClain Delaney, who also ranks among the wealthiest members of Congress, reported a fourth-quarter haul of $427,000, including a $300,000 loan.
In North Carolina, Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee from the left, raised $335,000 to the incumbent’s $140,000.
Another progressive challenger, former Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, outraised her successor Wesley Bell, who defeated her in a divisive 2024 primary. Bush brought in $527,000 during the fourth quarter to the incumbent’s $454,000. Bell ended the year with a larger cash balance, $848,000 to $205,000.
In California, former venture capitalist Eric Jones again outpaced fellow Democrat, Rep. Mike Thompson. Jones hauled in $1 million, including a $215,000 personal contribution, compared with Thompson’s $737,000. The longtime incumbent held a narrow cash edge over Jones to begin the year, $1.9 million to $1.8 million.
Two New England Democrats outraised the longtime lawmakers they’re seeking to dislodge in primaries. In Connecticut, former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin once again bested 14-term Rep. John B. Larson, ending the quarter with $1.4 million banked to the incumbent’s $956,000. And in Massachusetts, attorney Patrick Roath outraised Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, who is in his 12th full term, though Lynch entered the new year with more in his campaign account.
Georgia Rep. David Scott, who’s faced scrutiny over his health and age, was outraised by several Democratic challengers in his Atlanta-area district, including state Rep. Jasmine Clark, former Gwinnett County School Board Chair Everton Blair Jr. and state Sen. Emanuel Jones.
Other big self-funders
Several candidates facing crowded primaries for open seats dug deep into their own pockets.
They included a handful of Texas Republicans hoping to make an impact in the final months before the March 3 primary. Businessman Brett Jensen, one of several Republicans seeking to succeed retiring Rep. Morgan Luttrell, loaned his campaign $1.5 million. Retired Major League Baseball player Mark Teixeira put in $2 million in the crowded primary to succeed Rep. Chip Roy. And businessman Paul Bondar, who spent millions on a House run from Oklahoma last cycle, dropped $1.9 million into his bid for the 32nd District, newly redrawn to be safely Republican.
In California, former software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti, one of several Democrats vying for the seat of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, loaned his campaign $750,000, bringing his personal investment to nearly $1.5 million.
And in Massachusetts, financial technology executive John Beccia, one of several Democrats looking to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Seth Moulton, loaned his campaign nearly $800,000
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