Freshman Democrat Ben McAdams is stockpiling campaign cash ahead of what promises to be a very competitive 2020 campaign cycle.
McAdams reported his campaign raised $524,383 during the April-June fundraising period, bringing his total cash haul since the beginning of the year to $897,544. McAdams campaign’s quarterly disclosure showed $643,939 remaining in the bank. The total was an increase of $214,000 over Q1 of this year.
McAdams’ impressive total was the 59th-most among House members during the April-June fundraising period and the 40th-largest among Democrats.
$395,000 of McAdams’ fundraising haul came from individual donations, while the remaining $163,000 was from political action committees. McAdams’ campaign manager Andrew Roberts said more than 1,000 people donated to McAdams’ re-election effort during the just-completed quarter.
“Grassroots donors and community leaders from across the political spectrum are stepping forward to keep Ben’s independent voice speaking for all of us, regardless of party, in Congress,” said Roberts in an email.
Utah’s 4th District is one of the top targets for Republicans hoping to regain their majority in the House of Representatives next year. McAdams’ seat is one of 31 that Donald Trump carried during the 2016 election. Republicans need to win 18 or 19 to retake control of the House.
UT04 is also one of the most Republican in the nation with a partisan lean that is 13-points more Republican than the national average. McAdams squeaked by Republican Mia Love in November, winning by a scant 694 votes. Inside Politics rates next year’s election as a tossup.
The NRCC launched a social media advertising campaign against McAdams last week, pressuring him to oppose efforts by his Democratic colleagues in the House to open impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
McAdams has already drawn two Republican challengers, with several others poised to jump into the race for the GOP nomination.
Party activist Kathleen Anderson announced her campaign earlier this month. While she won’t have to disclose fundraising totals until the October reporting period, a source close to the Anderson campaign said they’d seen strong fundraising support so far.
“We are more convinced than ever we will be able to continue to raise the resources necessary to win the primary and general,” they said.
Along with Anderson, State Reps. Kim Coleman and Jefferson Moss are reportedly seriously considering challenging for the Republican nomination to face off against McAdams. Senate Majority Whip Daniel Hemmert, Utah County Commissioner Nathan Ivie, KSL radio personality Jay McFarland, and former U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman are also reportedly mulling a bid.
Mia Love, who McAdams beat in 2018, has been teasing a possible rematch against McAdams, saying she does not believe the current crop of candidates has what it takes to beat McAdams. However, several Republicans say privately they don’t think Love is serious and will not give up her job as a CNN analyst to run for Congress again.
Military veteran John Molnar has also declared his candidacy against McAdams next year.
