'Imperative': Leaked memo suggests GOP panic over down-ballot races

Republicans are apparently sweating as their state legislative bench is swamped with a flood of cash for Democratic candidates, Politico reported on Wednesday.

The outlet obtained a memo to GOP donors from Republican State Leadership Committee president Dee Duncan, whose organization handles national coordination of funding for Republican legislative races, highlighted the concern over the cash difference.

“Despite the RSLC’s historic $44 million investment in 2024, we will still be outpaced by the $175 million the [Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee], the States Project, and Forward Majority PAC have pledged to spend alone,” Duncan wrote.

“Since the three aforementioned national liberal outside groups have already combined to spend at least $69 million of traceable money across the country, that means they are on the road to dump at least another $100 million into key races between now and November."

The memo raises fears that Democrats could replicate their performance in 2022, where they defied expert forecasts of a Republican wave election to actually gain legislative chambers.

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“They are clearly seeking to replicate their 2022 playbook where they overwhelmed us on the airwaves in the final weeks,” wrote Duncan. “We don't expect to fully close the fundraising gap we face, but additional resources are still immediately needed to counter the opposition's massive spending advantage in these final weeks to ensure we remain on course to defend our majorities and seize any and all opportunities to flip chambers still within reach.”

He added, it is “imperative that we continue to emphasize the importance of absentee, early-vote, and vote-by-mail, during the final stretch of this election cycle."

When former President Donald Trump first took office, Republicans enjoyed overwhelming advantages in state legislatures across the country, with control of so many chambers that there were serious concerns the GOP may achieve the three-quarters control needed to unilaterally call a convention to rewrite the Constitution.

Since then, however, Democrats have made gains, particularly in suburban areas of many states.

Democrats are hoping in particular to target the GOP's razor-thin majorities in the Arizona legislature, as well as make gains in Wisconsin, where their legislative maps were struck down by a recently-elected liberal state Supreme Court majority as an impermissible gerrymander.