Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines reported Wednesday that he raised $5 million for his re-election campaign during the past three months, giving himself and Democratic challenger Steve Bullock almost identical totals of cash as they enter the final months of the campaign.
Bullock, Montana’s current governor, raised $7.7 million during the same period, increasing his campaign’s total take to $11 million since entering the race in early March. He started July with $7.4 million remaining in his campaign account.
Daines has raised nearly $13 million since he first won election in 2014 and started July with $7.1 million left in his account.
The Daines-Bullock contest is one of the most-watched U.S. Senate races in the nation, as Democrats attempt to gain majority control and win at least three net Republican-held Senate seats.
Bullock’s and Daines’ second-quarter fundraising totals both broke the previous record for a Montana Senate candidate in a single three-month period. The old record was just below $4 million, set by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester during his 2018 re-election campaign.
During the quarter, Daines raised at least $4.35 million from individuals and $468,000 from political action committees, or PACs, most of which represent business interests. He also took in $150,000 in transfers from other committees, which is usually a mix of individual and PAC giving.
The Daines campaign spent $3.5 million during the past months.
