The more you have ($) the more you get (votes)

GOP Gains Fundraising Advantage Ahead of Midterm Election

Newly disclosed campaign records show Republicans have benefited from a surge in campaign donations in recent months. The Wall Street Journalreports the Republican candidates in the ten closest Senate races raised $41 million in the third quarter, nearly three times as much as their Democratic candidate opponents. The difference was most striking in Nevada, where Republican Sharron Angle raised $14 million, seven times as much as her opponent, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Meanwhile, the Center for Responsive Politics reports outside groups, including some funded by secret donors, have spent $167 million so far in the 2010 election cycle. That’s up from about $70 million four years ago. A recent study of TV ad buys in September and early October found that outside groups were spending nine times as much on Republicans as Democrats