While Republican U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow still has a big fundraising advantage in the , Democrat Jamie Davis’ campaign is touting a haul of $1.6 million as evidence he can run a competitive race.
Davis raised that amount between April and June, according to the latest campaign finance disclosures. That brings his total amount raised to just under $2 million; his campaign has $479,000 cash on hand as of June 30.
“The people are showing they want to hear about our vision for a Louisiana we can all afford," Davis said in a statement. “The smart money said a farmer from Tensas Parish couldn't do this. The people of Louisiana just proved otherwise.”
Davis’ campaign said the money came from 60,000 donors in all 50 states.
Letlow’s Senate campaign raised slightly less than Davis in the second quarter, bringing in about $1.5 million, federal campaign finance records show. But she still has a major money advantage.
Two other committees affiliated with Letlow — her Start Rising leadership PAC and her Letlow Victory Fund joint fundraising committee — also raised a combined $854,000 in the second quarter.
In total, Letlow’s Senate campaign has brought in $6.2 million. At the end of June, her Senate campaign had $1.4 million in cash on hand.
"This campaign has always been about fighting for our families, our values, and the future we leave to our children,” Letlow said in a statement. “I will continue working every day to earn their trust and support as we then head toward November.”
A competitive race?
To be sure, Letlow enjoys several significant advantages. She has , which helped her oust incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy in the primary.
And she is running in a solidly red state: the GOP currently holds all statewide elected offices and has supermajorities in the Legislature, and Trump overwhelmingly won Louisiana in the last three presidential elections.
But Davis' recent fundraising — which drew on contributions from across the country — suggests a broad optimism about Democrats' prospects, given that the conditions are favorable for them to succeed in the midterm elections this fall, said Robert Hogan, a professor and chair of political science department at LSU.
"It is a surprising amount of money that he's been able to raise," Hogan said. "That's a significant haul for a Democratic candidate."
Some had questioned whether Democrats could field a competitive candidate after none of the party's established political figures — like former Gov. John Bel Edwards — signed up to run.
Hogan said Davis’ fundraising does appear to show some degree of strength, but he also acknowledged that GOP candidates typically prevail in major races in Louisiana.
"I think that that's tapping into an enthusiasm for Democrats nationwide that may not necessarily reflect the reality of the party's prospects in the state," he said.