Scoop: NRSC pleads for $9M to defend three red seats
Source: www.axios.com ·
Section: politics ·
Bias: Center
· Published: Thu, 24 Sep 2026 23:37:57 GMT
The Senate GOP campaign arm is making an extraordinary late ask — $8.9 million, to be exact — for three red states: Alaska, Iowa and Ohio, according to a memo sent Thursday and obtained by Axios.Why it matters: The request is yet another sign of the headwinds facing Republicans. In a good year, they wouldn't be begging for millions to defend states President Trump carried by double digits in 2024."We need $8.9 million in additional hard dollars to close the media gap and sustain that progress through Election Day," a memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee states.Zoom in: The memo lays out specific fundraising goals for each race, sending donors to joint fundraising accounts and campaigns. $1.2 million in Alaska, where Democratic nominee former Rep. Mary Peltola leads Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) in the RealClearPolitics polling average by two percentage points. $4.2 million in Iowa, where Democratic nominee Josh Turek and GOP nominee Rep. Ashley Hinson are separated by less than a percentage point in the RCP polling average. $3.5 million in Ohio, where former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) has built a four-percentage-point lead over Sen. Jon Husted (R) in the RCP polling average.Between the lines: The memo directs donors to candidates' campaigns or joint fundraising committees, which have higher donor limits.The committee has been taking advantage of a Supreme Court ruling to get more advertising at lower prices by coordinating with campaigns.NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) touted this strategy in a closed-door lunch on Wednesday, showing in a chart how it has allowed them to keep up with Democrats' stronger campaign fundraising, according to slides seen by Axios."The environment remains tough, but these races have improved as the Republican ecosystem has engaged," says the NRSC memo.Zoom out: Cook Political Report this week moved the Senate races in Georgia, Kansas and South Carolina in their ratings toward Democrats.Sabato's Crystal Ball moved Kansas, Michigan and Iowa toward Democrats.Democrats are competitive (at least lean-Republican) in seven seats currently held by Republicans, according to both raters.They only need four to take the majority next Congress.The other side: Democrats have their own late-stage headaches, with Democratic senators calling for a cash infusion for their candidate in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed — warning that he's getting trounced by outside super PACs.What we're hearing: Republicans are quietly starting to count out North Carolina and Georgia, based on our conversations. Semafor reported millions of dollars in GOP super PAC money were pulled from North Carolina.But the GOP sees a silver lining in New Hampshire and Michigan, where their candidates are making competitive bids to flip Democratic seats. Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is telling candidates to run the race they need to in their state, even if it means breaking with him, Congress, or, in some cases, President Trump.The bottom line: "I'm very realistic about there are political headwinds for us, and so you have to navigate that," Thune told Axios on Wednesday.
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