In a season where the balance of power remains at serious risk in the Senate, the Washington Times reports that some Republican Senators do not appear anxious to help protect their majority. Senators with large campaign warchests and who do not face the voters this year have made only nominal transfers to the NRSC, allowing the Democrats to gain a large advantage in the final days of the midterms:

Senate Republicans with enormous campaign war chests are refusing to transfer significant amounts of money to help fellow Republicans who are cash-strapped and face defeat in the final weeks of the campaign.

The stinginess alarms some of the Republican Party's top campaign strategists, especially because it is in such stark contrast to the millions of dollars that Democrats have transferred to their candidates in need.

Control of the Senate will come down to a half-dozen close races next month, and both sides agree that money will likely determine the outcome of each. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has nearly twice as much money on hand as the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) for that final sprint to Election Day.

According to the latest figures available, the DSCC has $23 million and the NRSC has $12 million. Much of that difference stems from the disparity in late giving from sitting senators.

It's difficult to understand the reluctance. If the Democrats win control of the chamber, these Republicans will lose committtee chairs and see themselves marginalized. It seems to be in their personal interest to do whatever is necessary to get resources to Republican candidates to help them win, let alone in their policy interests.

However, some Republican Senators do not agree. Richard Shelby has over $11 million in his coffers for his re-election bid in 2010, but Shelby has only transferred $15,000. He can't be worried about a challenge to his seat four years from now -- he won his last election with 68% of the vote, and Alabama hardly seems to be turning purple. Kay Bailey Hutchinson has $9.5 million and leads all her proposed challengers by 20 points, but all she's transferred is $115,000. Her spokesman, however, says she's donated more than $1.5 million through her PAC.

In contrast, Democratic Senators have shown more support for their party. Hillary Clinton has transferred more than $2 million from her own re-election campain this year to the DSCC. Ted Kennedy, Dianne Feinstein, Dick Durbin, and John Kerry -- who got pilloried for hanging onto $15 million from his presidential campaign in 2004 -- have all sent more than a million dollars to the committee. Apparently, these Senators understand the stakes a little better than their counterparts across the aisle, and they have put their party in position to conduct a last-minute ad blitz to lift their candidates in tight races.

Time is running out. If the Republicans in the Senate want to hang onto their majority, they need to start investing in their candidates.

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GOP Not Sharing The Wealth? In a season where the balance of power remains at serious risk in the Senate, the Washington Times reports that some Republican Senators do not appear anxious to help protect their majority. Senators with large [Read More]

Tracked on October 24, 2006 3:16 PM