Senate Dems outgive GOP

More than half of the members of the Senate Democratic caucus have tapped into campaign coffers for six-figure donations to their party committee, while only 15 Senate Republicans have given similar sums with only one week remaining and control of the chamber up for grabs.

From committee gavels to White House momentum, Democrats digging deep to transfer unused campaign dollars stand to reap huge gains if they can net the six seats needed to take over the Senate. But even Democratic senators up for reelection and out of chairmanship contention made unrestricted transfers to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) in October, leaving Republicans at a $6 million disadvantage in the hunt for member money.

Senate Republicans maintain that their majority will survive despite members’ reluctance to give directly to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and some strategists’ anxiety over spending shortfalls in key races. The NRSC made a million-dollar negative-ad buy yesterday in Virginia, where the DSCC reportedly is planning to double that number in a bid to vault Democrat Jim Webb over Sen. George Allen (R-Va.).

From the Hill