Courtesy photo
Xochitl Torres Small
Democrats across the nation have announced massive fundraising hauls as the midterm elections near.
This includes New Mexico. Water lawyer Xochitl Torres Small announced a record-breaking $1.9 million raised in the last quarter in her race to represent the state’s 2nd Congressional District.
Campaign finance reports for federal races are due Monday and cover the period from July 1 to Sept. 30.
The Torres Small campaign says this is a record for the most money raised in a quarter by any congressional candidate in New Mexico history.
The campaign said in a release that she raised the money without any donations from corporate PACs. The exact total, and who donated, will be available in Monday’s campaign finance report.
Torres Small faces Republican Yvette Herrell, who last reported $100,000 cash-on-hand as of the end of June. At that same time, Torres Small had nearly $500,000 cash-on-hand.
The race is considered a toss-up as Democrats seek to retake control of the U.S. House. Since New Mexico earned a third congressional district in 1983, the district has only been held by a Democrat for one term after Harry Teague won the seat in 2008.
Democrats are angling to a similar “wave” election as that one, when Democrats won 21 seats and expanded their House majority.
Democrats need to flip 23 seats to retake control.
But candidates aren’t the only ones spending money in the race.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee and other outside groups have spent millions on campaigns in the race.
According to ProPublica’s Election Databot, outside groups have spent $1.8 million opposing Herrell and $470,000 supporting her. Outside groups have spent $990,000 opposing Torres Small and $210,000 supporting. This includes money spent during the primary.
That can quickly change, as it does not include nearly $200,000 from the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican SuperPAC, opposing Torres Small.
Candidates’ money goes further on TV ads, as they are charged the lowest rates for the airtime.
DCCC chair chairman Ben Ray Luján, who is seeking a sixth term in the U.S. House in New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District, said 60 Democratic House candidates raised over $1 million in the quarter. Politico reported only 21 House candidates raised over $1 million in the third quarter of 2016 — from both parties.
Democrats in other races have reported eye-popping numbers as well. Beto O’Rourke, running an underdog race for Senate as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Ted Cruz in Texas, announced he raised $38 million in the quarter, a record.
In New Mexico, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham outraised Republican candidate Steve Pearce in the most recent campaign finance period in New Mexico, though Pearce reported more cash on hand for the final weeks of the race. Overall, Lujan Grisham has raised $7.8 million for her run while Pearce has raised $4.3 million. Lujan Grisham had a contested primary, while Pearce had no primary opponent.
Both Pearce and Lujan Grisham are U.S. representatives. Pearce currently represents the 2nd Congressional District.