Hotline's Q3 House fundraising chart

Republican outside groups may hold a fundraising advantage, but Democratic donors are swamping the country’s competitive House districts with cash. Last quarter’s campaign finance reports, compiled and analyzed by Hotline, show the return of the small-dollar boom from Democrats hoping to break the GOP trifecta.

Vulnerable Democratic incumbents easily outraised their competitors as Republicans focus on defending an expanding map. Democratic challengers raked in millions and outpaced the incumbents they hope to unseat for a chance at the majority.

The National Republican Congressional Committee’s "Patriots"—17 of the GOP’s most vulnerable incumbents—raised an average of $1.3 million last quarter and entered October with about $2 million in cash on hand. The 16 Democrats looking to unseat them, and independent Bill Hill of Alaska, raised an average of $2.8 million last quarter. The Patriots maintained a cash advantage, as the challengers hold only about $1.3 million on average entering the final stretch.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s incumbents don’t face the same problems. The 26 "Frontliners" raised an average of $1.2 million last quarter, while their challengers raised an average of just $506,000. The Frontliners entered October with an average of $1.9 million in cash on hand, a huge edge over their challengers, who averaged $517,000 on hand.

All but one of the DCCC’s Frontliners—Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada—outraised their respective challengers. All but one of the NRCC’s Patriots—Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania—got outraised by their opponent.

In all, non-self-funding challengers outraised 50 incumbents across the map, all but four of those incumbents being Republicans. Of the four outraised Democratic incumbents, only Titus is at risk of losing the seat to Republicans—two California Democrats were outraised by fellow Democrats in intraparty battles, and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri was outraised during a redistricting battle. The Supreme Court’s rejection of Missouri’s new map will keep his seat safe for 2026.

One of the top-performing Democrats was Army veteran Cait Conley, who hopes to unseat Rep. Mike Lawler of New York’s 17th District. Conley raised $5.4 million last quarter, eclipsing Lawler’s $1.8 million haul. But Lawler nonetheless enters the last stretch with a cash-on-hand advantage of about $1.7 million. The race is one of the country’s most competitive.

Party campaign committees aren’t required to file quarterly reports, but the NRCC raised $13.6 million in August and entered September with more than $89 million on hand. The DCCC trailed, raking in $12 million in August and entering September with $75.9 million in cash on hand.

Below are Q3 roundups from the top 10 races of Hotline’s House Power Rankings, plus Hotline’s searchable database of campaign fundraising. Bold names signify a challenger who outraised an incumbent.

Florida’s 9th: Rep. Darren Soto (D)

Rep. Darren Soto (D): $1.5 million raised, $1.3 million cash on hand

Former Defense Department official Dan Green (R): $1.1 million raised with $800,000 loan, $516,000 cash on hand

Nebraska’s 2nd: Open (R)

Political strategist Denise Powell (D): $2.2 million raised, $990,000 cash on hand

Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding (R): $625,000 raised, $580,000 cash on hand

California’s 48th: Open (R)

San Diego City Councilwoman Marni Von Wilpert (D): $2.3 million raised, $972,000 cash on hand

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond (R): $727,000 raised, $1.4 million cash on hand

Alabama’s 2nd: Rep. Shomari Figures (D)

Rep. Shomari Figures (D): $1.1 million raised, $1.4 million cash on hand

State Rep. Rhett Marques (R): $335,000 raised, $328,000 cash on hand

Pennsylvania’s 7th: Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R)

Firefighter Bob Brooks (D): $2.6 million raised, $1.3 million cash on hand

Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R): $809,000 raised, $2.2 million cash on hand

Maine’s 2nd: Open (D)

State Auditor Matt Dunlap (D): $1.5 million raised, $738,000 cash on hand

Former Gov. Paul LePage (R): $669,000 raised, $1.2 million cash on hand

Iowa’s 1st: Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R)

2024 nominee Christina Bohannan (D): $2.4 million raised, $3 million cash on hand

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R): $1.7 million raised, $2.6 million cash on hand

New Jersey’s 7th: Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R)

Navy veteran Rebecca Bennett (D): $3.9 million raised, $1.7 million cash on hand

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R): $975,000 raised, $2.3 million cash on hand

Arizona’s 6th: Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R)

Marine Corps veteran JoAnna Mendoza (D): $3.4 million raised, $1.5 million cash on hand

Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R): $1.3 million raised, $927,000 cash on hand

North Carolina’s 1st: Rep. Don Davis (D)

Rep. Don Davis (D): $1.3 million raised, $2 million cash on hand

2024 nominee Lauria Buckhout (R): $933,000 raised, $1.9 million cash on hand