The N.C. Democratic and Republican parties are reporting similar overall fundraising totals for state-level races this year, but there are big differences in how the money is being allocated for individual races.
Democrats are wrapping up the campaign with a major financial advantage in races for N.C. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and U.S. Senate. But Republicans have put more money into some battleground races for state legislature, even as Democrats could have a shot at winning a House and/or Senate majority for the first time since 2008.
Final campaign finance reports were posted over the weekend to a State Board of Elections database.
Overall, the N.C. Democratic Party (and its judicial and state legislative campaign operations) reported raising $13.6 million between July and mid-October, and a total of $20.4 million over the election cycle.
Combined with its caucus fundraising committees for the state House and Senate, the N.C. Republican Party also reported raising about $13.6 million over the same period, and a total of $20.7 million over the election cycle.
How that money has been allocated among individual candidates and campaigns can help show which races will be most competitive on Tuesday. Here’s a breakdown, based on a WUNC News review of the latest campaign finance filings:
N.C. Supreme Court: Incumbent Democratic Justice Anita Earls has a massive advantage over Republican candidate Sarah Stevens. Earls raised $6.4 million in the third quarter ($7.3 million total over the election cycle), while Stevens raised just $223,000 in the third quarter ($559,000 over the cycle).
About $2.5 million of Earls’ total came from the state Democratic Party and other party committees, while GOP party committees chipped in only $17,000 for Stevens.
N.C. Court of Appeals: Democrats hold a similar fundraising advantage over the Republican candidates for three Court of Appeals seats. Incumbent Judge Toby Hampson, for example, raised $968,000 over the election cycle, while his Republican opponent, George Bell, raised $194,000.
N.C. Senate: The Senate Republican caucus organization has put nearly a third of its $7.5 million fundraising total toward the campaign of incumbent Sen. Lisa Barnes, who faces Democrat James Gailliard in Nash and Franklin counties — one of the state's most competitive Senate races. The Democratic caucus, meanwhile, has put more than $1 million behind Gaillard.
Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, is the second biggest beneficiary of caucus funding ($959,000), part of the $2.8 million his campaign reported raising overall. Lee’s Democratic opponent, yoga instructor Jessica Bichler, raised a total of $1.02 million (with $624,000 coming from party organizations).
The Republican Senate Caucus has directed smaller amounts (between $300,000 to $400,000) to other candidates in competitive districts: Sen. Buck Newton in Wilson, former Rep. Kevin Crutchfield in Cabarrus County, and Chris Stock in northern Wake/Granville counties.
Democrats seem more optimistic about flipping the Cabarrus seat, putting nearly $600,000 behind candidate April Cook, who has raised a total of $843,000. They’ve mostly matched Republican Party spending for their candidates against Newton (Jess Rivera) and Stock (recently appointed Sen. Haseeb Fatmi).
Democrats also spent $220,000 to help Sen. Woodson Bradley, D-Mecklenburg, while Republicans put $281,000 toward her opponent, Stacie McGinn.
Republicans seem less concerned about the re-election prospects for Sens. Jerry Tillett, R-Dare; Danny Britt, R-Robeson; Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico; and Amy Galey, R-Alamance — all of whom received far less caucus funding. Sam Page, the Republican who defeated Senate leader Phil Berger, received no money from the caucus organization.
Democrats need a net gain of just one seat to break Republicans’ veto-proof Senate majority, but they would need to net five seats to create a tie in the chamber that could be broken by Democratic Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt.
N.C. House: Speaker Destin Hall’s Republican caucus reported raising a total of $8.5 million, largely splitting it among 19 candidates — mostly incumbents and seats currently held by the GOP.
These Republican House candidates received the biggest amounts from the caucus, more than $400,000 each: Reps. Brian Echevarria, R-Cabarrus; Bill Ward, R-Pasquotank; Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake; Jonathan Almond, R-Cabarrus; Anna Ferguson, R-Swain; John Blust, R-Guilford; Dennis Riddell, R-Alamance, and Franklin County candidate Cory Thornton.
Notably, the caucus gave far less to two vulnerable incumbents: Reps. Jeff Zenger, R-Forsyth, and Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg.
And it gave smaller amounts to GOP candidates challenging three incumbent Democrats in swing districts.
Democrats, meanwhile, put around $400,000 each toward the candidates seeking to unseat Cotham and Schietzelt. Other top recipients of Democratic Party caucus funds include Zenger’s opponent, Amy Taylor North, incumbent Rep. Dante Pittman, D-Wilson, and Winn Decker, who’s challenging incumbent Rep. Erin Paré, R-Wake. Paré received $321,000 from the caucus and raised a total of $860,000.
The most controversial Democratic House candidate — Shelly Headen, who was rebuked by her party over social media posts — received $11,000 from the party before being cut off in September. She remains in the race and reported raising $325,000 in the third quarter, while her opponent, GOP Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford, raised $508,000.
House Republicans need a net gain of one seat to win a veto-proof majority, while Democrats could take the majority if they flip about a dozen seats.
Notable donors
The N.C. Democratic Party’s biggest individual donor this election was Michael Bloomberg. The New York billionaire gave a total of $1.75 million.
Other top Democratic donors included Virginia Sall (wife of SAS Institute co-founder John Sall) and the national group PAC For America’s Future. Gov. Josh Stein’s campaign contributed $2.4 million to the state party, and Stein’s father Adam gave $250,000. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave $150,000.
On the Republican side, the top individual donor was Ronald Cameron, the owner of poultry company Mountaire Farms. Other leading donors include Raleigh-area businessmen John Kane, Bob Luddy and Art Pope.
What about U.S. Senate fundraising?
Those numbers are reported to the Federal Elections Commission, with the latest reports released several weeks ago.
Former Gov. Roy Cooper's primary campaign committee reported raising $19 million through mid-October, while Republican Michael Whatley’s campaign reported a total of $13.7 million.
