Democrats scramble to cut fundraising gap with GOP

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic National Committee began October with just $5-million to spend on the election -- and that only after rerouting money that was supposed to pay for its new headquarters. Its Republican counterpart started the month with $30-million on hand.

Acknowledging the GOP's big money advantage in an election that will decide control of Congress and several governorships, Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe has gone back to donors who gave $1-million or more to help finance the party's building.

Billionaire Fox Family Entertainment chief executive Haim Saban and Hollywood producer Stephen Bing redirected $3-million each in headquarters donations to the DNC's election effort. Newsweb chief executive Fred Eychaner wrote a $3-million check to the committee last month after giving at least $1-million for the building project.

Despite the cash infusion, the DNC began October far behind the Republican National Committee in ready cash for the final stretch before the Nov. 5 election.

The RNC began the month with $30.7-million on hand, all but $1-million of it in limited "hard money" contributions from people and political action committees it can spend in any way, including direct candidate support.

The $1-million is in "soft money," unlimited contributions from corporations, unions and others that parties can only spend on general party-building activities, like get-out-the-vote drives and operating costs.

The DNC started October with $14.5-million on hand, but $9.7-million of that is in its building fund and cannot be spent on the election.

But the financial disparity doesn't necessarily spell doom for the Democrats as they fight to maintain Senate control and take back the House.

Republicans often point out that the Democrats can count on help from the unions; the Democratic-leaning AFL-CIO plans to spend at least $34-million this election, much of it on getting out the vote.

"We're not saying we're at any great advantage," RNC spokesman Kevin Sheridan said. "We realize the giant 1,000-pound gorilla in the room is the unions. They have yet to put their money on the table, and we know they will."

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