WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican National Committee has far outpaced Democrats in fundraising ahead of the midterm elections, maintaining a nearly $100 million lead by the end of 2025, according to year-end reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

While Democrats have struggled in the Trump era, the RNC raised $172 million in 2025, with 95 million dollars in cash at the end of the year. In contrast, the Democratic National Committee reported $145 million for the year, with $14 million in cash and $17 million in debt, starting the new year in the red.

Everything points to a turbulent election cycle ahead, as President Donald Trump faces political headwinds that tend to weigh down the party in power, in this case Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, and reward opponents during the midterm elections. legislature.

In the campaigns for control of Congress, the total figures are less marked. House Republicans had one of their strongest years, raising $13 million in the final month of the year, closing with more than $117 million for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the main campaign arm. House Democrats were slightly behind with $115 million.

Both House committees entered 2026 with around $50 million in cash, reportedly due to be presented to the FEC this weekend. A similar dynamic is playing out in the Senate.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that the GOP's overall fundraising made him "optimistic" about the party's chances of not only maintaining its slim majority in the House, but increasing it with more members.

“We're going to have a war chest to compete with,” Johnson, R-Louisiana, said on “Fox News Sunday.”

The fundraising totals reflect the calendar year of 2025, ahead of the onslaught of actions and events that have upended national politics in the first month of the new year.

From the U.S. military attack on Venezuela to the shootings that left two Americans protesting the government's immigration raids Trump in Minneapolis, it is not at all clear whether voters - and donors - will experience lasting changes in their attitudes toward political parties.

“Inertia is on our side,” said Viet Shelton, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which supports House Democrats.

He said Republicans are “running scared” because Democrats have better candidates and a better message for voters as the party tries to regain control of the House.

In the Senate, the National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $88 million in 2025, closing the year with $19.3 million in cash. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised $79.8 million, but finished slightly better with $21.7 million in cash.

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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.