GOP Senate group will come to Pearce’s aid

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce is having a difficult time keeping up with the fundraising of Democratic opponent Tom Udall, but it appears that help is on the way.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, today pledged to match the spending of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in races in key states including New Mexico, and asked GOP senators to transfer money from their own campaigns to make that happen.

The fundraising arm of Senate Republicans will spend most of that money — some $44.8 million — through independent expenditures on races in Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Oregon.

The NRSC currently doesn’t have the cash to do that. It had $24.6 million on hand at the end of June, while the DSCC had $46.3 million.

“Chuck Schumer and the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee have recently placed television buys totaling approximately $44.8 million in targeted Senate races across the country. I will not allow our Republican candidates to be outspent by the DSCC this cycle,” Ensign said in a news release. “While I am aware we do not currently have the funds to match the DSCC, I am giving our (Independent Expenditure) Unit this budget on faith — faith that my Republican colleagues will step up to the challenge and transfer the funds necessary to remain competitive with the Democrats.”

The campaigns of Pearce and Udall did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Financially, Pearce has not been able to keep up with Udall, who ended June with $2.9 million in the bank. Pearce ended it with $531,624.

In addition, Pearce trails by double-digit margins in several independent polls of the race. Despite those disadvantages, by including Pearce on the list of candidates it will back financially, the NRSC is indicating that it hasn’t given up the seat held by retiring GOP Sen. Pete Domenici. Today’s announcement follows a recent report in the National Journal that many Washington Republicans expect Pearce to lose to Udall.

According to an article in The Politico, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has already met Engisn’s challenge, announcing today that he will donate $250,000 from his campaign account to the NRSC.

Matthew Miller, spokesman for the DSCC, told The Hill that money isn’t the problem for Republicans.

“They’re in trouble because they’re out of step with the public’s desire for change in Washington, and it’s going to take more than promises from Washington to bail them out,” he said.

Meanwhile, John Randall, online communications director for the NRSC, said in an e-mail that Democrats may have more money, but they are “sorely trailing in solutions” on issues including energy and lowering taxes.

“… now that these are campaigns of ideas, Democrats are on the defensive,” he said.

Update, 8:10 a.m.

Pearce spokesman Brian Phillips released this statement:

“We are pleased to have Senator Ensign’s full support,” he said. “We know he agrees with us that now is the time for a comprehensive energy policy and that Tom Udall and Chuck Schumer side with the environmental extremists who oppose expanding U.S. domestic energy production. With the support of people who want to drive the price of gas down, we will this race.”