First on Fox: Top outside group supporting Senate Republicans unveils fundraising success

EXCLUSIVE – As the GOP fights to win back the Senate majority, the leading super PAC supporting Republican incumbents and candidates says it raised $114.5 million in the third quarter of 2024 in July-September.

And the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), which first shared its fundraising numbers with Fox News on Tuesday, reported that it had $112 million in cash on hand at the end of last month.

The group that has been aligned for a long time Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, noted that fundraising over the past three months included a $28 million contribution from One Nation, its allied nonprofit.

And SLF announced that its fundraising for the entire 2024 election cycle is $181 million through revenue from the last three months – and that the company has raised more this cycle than it did at the same point in the 2022 midterm elections.

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“From the beginning of the election cycle, our goal has been to win back the majority by helping recruit great candidates and raising enough money to help them take on established, well-funded Democrats. As Election Day approaches, our donors have continued to support our efforts.” “They are participating in these battleground contests and we are grateful for their generosity,” SLF President and CEO Steven Law told Fox News in a statement.

The Democrats have a slim majority of 51-49 in the Senate, which includes three independent senators who meet with the Democratic conference.

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That means Republicans will need a net gain of either one or two seats to regain the majority, depending on which party controls the White House after this year's presidential election.

The mathematics and the map in favor of the GOP in 2024. Democrats are defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs.

One of those seats is in West Virginia, a deep red state former President Trump increased by almost 40 points in 2020. With moderate Democrat independent Sen. Joe Manchin, a former governor, not seeking re-election, a seat flip for the GOP is almost certain.

Republicans are also seeking seat flips in Ohio and Montana, two states where Trump was comfortably in the lead four years ago. And five other seats held by Democrats this year are in states that are crucial to the presidential election.

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As Democrats sought to protect their fragile Senate majority, they faced another headache in February when former Republican two-term Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan launched a campaign for an open seat in the heavily blue state.

SLF says it and allied group American Crossroads have set aside $228.5 million for television, radio and digital advertising in Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan and have spent that money starting Labor Day.

The two groups are spending a combined $82.5 million in Ohio, where longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is fighting for his political life against Republican challenger Berie Moreno, and $47.9 million in Montana, where polls show the Republican challenger Tim Sheehy has a slight lead over Democratic Senator Jon Tester.

The SLF is spending $52 million in Pennsylvania, where polls suggest Republican candidate Dave McCormick is closing the gap with Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.

The group is also distributing $23.6 million in a closely contested race in Wisconsin, where Republican Eric Hovde is running against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, and $22.5 million in Michigan, where former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers is taking on Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin in the race to succeed longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

Get the latest updates on the 2024 election, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital Election Center.