Representative Adam

B.

Schiff swept his rivals in the financial race to replace outgoing Senator Dianne Feinstein, raising $8.2 million in recent months, according to federal fundraising reports released Saturday.

Ship collected about double that

combined total amount

raised by his top Democratic opponents Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee

combined

in the same period.

Schiff’s windfall was fueled by his disapproval in June by congressional Republicans of his role in investigating former GOP President Trump’s ties to Russia, a rebuke the Burbank Democrat repeatedly emphasized in his calls to raise funds .

Schiff might as well have paid for this censorship

,

in the sense that it has brought him exactly what he wants

,

that is, “I’m the person Republicans don’t want to win.”

,

and for good reason,” said Jessica Levinson, professor of suffrage at Loyola Law School. way the Republicans did.”

Schiff’s win far outstripped Porter’s, to an Irvine Democrat who raised $3.1 million in the second quarter of 2023. But she led Schiff by 19% to 16% in a poll of likely voters released last week on 7/14 by the Public Policy Institute of California. Lee had the support of 13%.

In recent years, Schiff and Porter have been among the most prodigious fundraisers in the House. But Porter had to spend nearly $29 million on her tight re-election bid in Orange County last year, while Schiff headed to another term and banked his donations.

Lee, a Democrat from Oakland, received $1.1 million between April 1 and June 30, according to disclosure documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, which were made public Saturday. That’s the same amount raised by Democrat Lexi Reese, a Silicon Valley executive seeking the seat in her first run for public office, even though Reese contributed about $284,000 of her own money to her campaign.

Though the general election is more than a year away, these numbers are crucial for early assessments of the candidates’ prospects as they compete for a rare open Senate seat representing California, home to some of the most expensive media outlets in the country . Television advertising is a must in any nationwide campaign courting California’s 22 million voters.

Feinstein, 90, was known for breaking gender barriers even before she was first elected to the Senate in 1992’s Year of the Woman, when a record number of female candidates won seats in Congress.

The San Francisco Democrat has been praised by colleagues from both parties for her intelligence and dedication to her work. But concerns about Feinstein’s declining mental and physical abilities have reached a crescendo in recent months, and she announced in February that she would not seek another term next year.

Several Republicans are also running for Feinstein’s Senate seat, but their prospects are dim because of California’s progressive tilt. Californians last elected a GOP politician to statewide office in 2006 and have since become more liberal. Democrats accounted for 47% of registered voters, Republicans for 24% and voters not expressing a party preference for 22% as of Feb. 10, according to the Secretary of State.

Eric Early, a GOP attorney running for the Senate seat, reported raising $201,176 through June 30. Republican James Bradley, a

coast guard

veteran and former health care director, had not filed a fundraising report as of Saturday afternoon.

EARLY/BRADFORD NUMBERS?

The race to replace Feinstein is further complicated by California’s jungle primary system, in which the two candidates who receive the most votes ahead of the November general election, regardless of party. The primaries take place in March.

If two Democrats come out victorious in the primary, their battle will continue through November and tens of millions of dollars will be spent on the contest. If a Republican claims one of the top two seats, the Democrat they face will have a seemingly insurmountable advantage.

But one notable uncertainty is whether former Dodgers star Steve Garvey, a Republican, will enter the game; he is expected to announce a decision this month. On Saturday, 23 candidates had applied for the seat.

Schiff and Porter, frequent cable newscasters popular among liberal voters for their respective opposition to Trump and to business leaders, have been among the top fundraisers in Congress in recent years.

But ever since they started racing each other for Feinstein’s seat, Schiff has overtaken Porter. In the first three months of 2023, he raised $6.5 million and spent $2.8 million, while Porter raised $4.5 million and spent $2.5 million, according to federal election records.

Their financial disparity grew in the second quarter of this year, with Schiff raising $8.2 million and spending $3.3 million, and Porter raising $3.1 million and spending $2.2 million, according to the FEC. As of June 30, Schiff had $29.8 million in cash on hand, while Porter had $10.4 million. They have more money in their bank accounts than they raised through transfers from their congressional campaign committees.

Lee’s campaign finances are falling behind those of her congressional colleagues in the race; she reported raising $1.1 million and spending $817,000 in the second quarter. She had $1.4 million in the bank as of June 30.

While Schiff highlights his battle with Trump in fundraisers, and Porter points to her experience as a single mother in Congress and offers tips for meal planning, Lee, a black woman who has served in the House of Representatives since 1998, highlights the racial disparities in the nation’s Capitol. Only two African American women have ever been elected to the Senate.

We love you Barbara. We think you’d make a great senator. But Adam Schiff, he just looks like a senator, Lee wrote in an email to supporters, paraphrasing the comments she had received. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this on the campaign trail. And I’ll be honest, it breaks my heart.