Democrats are pouring millions of dollars into two must-win Senate races in Montana and Ohio, aiming to build party infrastructure that can help counteract the two states’ GOP leanings.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is set to invest seven figures in building out a ground game this fall to aid the reelection bids of Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), according to information shared first with POLITICO.
Tester and Brown are running in deep-red states where Republicans are heavily favored in this year’s presidential race. Since President Joe Biden is unlikely to focus on Montana or Ohio, where Tester and Brown are the last statewide Democrats standing, that makes it vital for Democrats to invest there early.
DSCC Chair Gary Peters (D-Mich.) said in a statement that the campaign arm’s “investments in sustained, effective grassroots organizing will lay the groundwork for our campaigns to win tough races.” The new investments will pay for staffers to focus on field training, volunteer recruitment and organizing, as well as analytics, data, voter access and voter outreach.
Though the DSCC did not provide a precise figure for its spending, ultimately the Senate Democratic campaign arm plans to spend tens of millions of dollars on its field programs, according to an aide. The party is expected to announce more states and funding later this year. During the successful 2022 midterm cycle, Democrats spent more on field organizing than TV ads.
The battle for the Senate majority this fall is likely to center around Ohio and Montana. With Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) retiring, Tester and Brown now face the toughest races — and their reelections represent their party’s easiest path to keeping the majority. With that in mind, Republicans are homing in on the duo, hoping to nominate candidates best equipped to beat the two battle-hardened incumbents.
If Democrats win the presidential race this fall, they can maintain a 50-seat majority, provided all their incumbents are reelected. The DSCC has also announced funding for staff in several other battleground states — including Texas and Florida, which are the party’s best opportunities to knock off GOP incumbents in Ted Cruz and Rick Scott, respectively.