# MEMORANDUM **To**: Delaware Republican Base **From**: Concerned Republican Advocates **Date**: May 10, 2025 **Subject**: Overcoming the Democratic Funding Advantage in Delaware ## Purpose This memorandum addresses the claim that Delaware’s small size limits Republican fundraising, a narrative that obscures the Democrats’ significant financial advantage in the 2023-2024 election cycle. We urge our base to recognize that this funding gap, not our state’s size, hinders electoral success. Our goal is to refocus efforts on building a robust fundraising strategy to achieve tangible results in future elections. ## Background: The 2023-2024 Funding Landscape in Delaware In the 2023-2024 election cycle, Delaware Democrats raised substantial funds for their state committee and candidates, enabling extensive campaign operations. Data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and Delaware Department of Elections highlights this disparity: - **Democratic State Committee**: Raised $5.3M, with $3.4M transferred to affiliated committees; $11K cash on hand as of 3/31/2025. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00211763/?cycle=2024&tab=raising - **Sarah McBride (US Senate)**: Raised $4.1M, with $635K cash on hand; supported by 23 staff/interns. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00843763 - **Lisa Blunt Rochester (US House)**: Raised $9.9M, with $66K cash on hand. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00843391/?tab=raising&cycle=2024 - **Chris Coons (US Senate)**: Raised $1.7M in 2023-2024, with $2.6M cash on hand as of 3/31/2025, despite not being a candidate in 2024. Coons, last elected in 2020 (raising $6.1M against Lauren Witzke’s $480K, is preparing for his 2026 reelection). - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00732982/?cycle=2020 - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00475392/?tab=raising&cycle=2024 - **Ray Seigfried (State Senate)**: Raised $46K - https://cfrs.elections.delaware.gov Republican candidates lagged significantly: - **Eric Hansen (US House)**: Raised $1.0M, including $810K loan; $0 cash on hand reported. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00853788/?cycle=2024 - **Donyale Hall (US House)**: Raised $46K, including $2K loan; $0 cash on hand reported. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00855411/?cycle=2024 - **John Whalen (US Senate)**: Raised $20K; $0 cash on hand reported. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00883959/?cycle=2024 - **Brent Burdge (State Senate)**: Raised $20K. - https://cfrs.elections.delaware.gov Despite Delaware’s electoral significance—two US Senate seats and a pivotal US House seat—Republicans failed to capitalize on fundraising opportunities, while Democrats leveraged national and state-level donor networks. ## The Flawed Narrative: Small State, Small Funds Some Republican leaders argue that Delaware’s small size limits fundraising potential, making it challenging to compete with larger states like Pennsylvania. This perspective is misleading for several reasons: 1. **Delaware’s Electoral Weight**: Delaware’s equal Senate representation and single House seat, critical in a closely divided Congress, make it a high-impact investment for donors. Democrats recognize this, raising millions from out-of-state sources like California and New York. - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00211763/?cycle=2024&tab=raising 2. **National Funding, Not Local Limits**: Democrats’ $5.3M state committee haul, with significant out-of-state contributions, shows that size is no barrier. Their funds flow to candidates and committees, amplifying impact. Even non-candidates like Coons raised $1.7M in 2024 for 2026 - https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00211763/?cycle=2024&tab=raising 3. **Republicans’ Inefficiency**: Republican candidates’ reliance on loans (e.g., Hansen’s $810K) and low receipts ($20K-$1M vs. Democrats’ $1.7M-$9.9M) reflect a failure to tap national donor networks, not a structural disadvantage. ## The Reality: Funding Gaps Undermine Success The 2023-2024 results tell a clear story: - **No Competitive Funding**: Democrats’ financial advantage enabled robust campaigns, while Republicans’ limited funds restricted staff, advertising, and outreach. Coons’ $1.7M haul as a non-candidate in 2024 underscores Democrats’ long-term fundraising strength. - **Registration Disadvantage Amplified**: With 209,744 registered Republicans versus 354,327 Democrats, our smaller base requires superior fundraising to persuade independents (230,755 others), a goal unmet in 2024. - **Ineffective Resource Allocation**: Democrats’ effective use of communication platforms and staff (e.g., McBride’s team) maximized their voter base’s impact, while Republicans’ low cash reserves (e.g., $0 for Hansen, Hall, Whalen) hindered competitiveness. Touting Delaware’s size as a fundraising barrier risks fostering complacency and obscuring the need to address our fundraising deficiencies. ## Moving Forward: A Call to Action To build a stronger Republican Party in Delaware, we must shift focus from excuses to fundraising results. We propose the following steps: 1. **Expand National Fundraising**: Aggressively target out-of-state donors and Republican PACs/SuperPACs, emphasizing Delaware’s electoral significance. 2. **Strengthen State Committee**: Boost the Delaware Republican State Committee’s fundraising to rival Democrats’ $5.3M, ensuring sustainable campaign support. 3. **Enhance Communication Strategies**: Invest in digital and traditional media to engage our base and independents, countering Democrats’ effective platforms. 4. **Back Competitive Candidates**: Recruit candidates with broad appeal and provide financial support to reduce reliance on loans. ## Conclusion The Democrats’ $1.7M-$9.9M fundraising haul in 2023-2024, including Coons’ $1.7M as a non-candidate for 2024, compared to Republicans’ $20K-$1M, underscores a critical funding gap that Delaware’s size does not justify. As Delaware Republicans, we deserve leadership that prioritizes robust fundraising over outdated narratives. Let us unite to build a national donor network, strengthen our state committee, and fight for electoral wins. Together, we can make the Republican Party a competitive force in Delaware.