Rep. Ruben Gallego outraises Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in Senate campaign fundraising quarter

Democratic Senate challenger Rep. Ruben Gallego has all but declared victory over independent incumbent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema after raising more money than her in January, February and March.

Senate candidates filed their quarterly campaign financial disclosures over the weekend, and Gallego, D-Ariz., outraised Sinema, I-Ariz., drawing significantly more money from small-dollar donors than Sinema, who relied more on people contributing more than $200 each.

Gallego took a victory lap.

“Should she decide to run in 2024, it is clear that Sinema will not have the resources or fundraising ability to be competitive,” Gallego’s campaign wrote in a written statement Monday. “Her big-money donors may be able to keep her afloat for now, but in the long run, Sinema’s fundraising strategy is unsustainable.”

Sinema's team was dismissive of Gallego's comments.

"Kyrsten is focused on delivering real solutions, not campaign politics," Sinema spokesperson Pablo Sierra-Carmona said Monday.

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Sinema, who has yet to officially announce a 2024 reelection bid, raised about $1 million for the January-March quarter and also transferred about $1 million from Sinema Leadership Fund, a joint fundraising committee between her and the Getting Stuff Done political action committee.

She started the period with about $8 million of cash on hand and ended with about $10 million, spending just about $300,000 during the quarter.

Gallego raised about $3.7 million and spent about $2.3 million, having significantly higher expenses than Sinema as he launches his effort to unseat her. He began the quarter with $1.3 million in cash and ended with $2.7 million.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, a Republican, hasn’t yet had to file a financial report for his campaign, which is just days old and not active during the first quarter.

And while failed GOP candidate for governor Kari Lake continues to pursue a lawsuit challenging the 2022 election, she is widely viewed as a possible Republican Senate contender.

Small donors boost Gallego

Between Gallego and Sinema, Gallego raised more than the incumbent from small donors giving less than $200 in this election cycle.

Gallego chalked up $1.9 million in small-dollar donations compared with Sinema’s $5,500. Gallego’s news release failed to mention it, but his campaign raised more from large-dollar donors as well. Sinema raised $830,000 from people contributing more than $200 each during the cycle while Gallego raked in $1.6 million from such donors.

Sinema’s refusal to budge on eliminating the filibuster, therefore effectively requiring 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate and cited by liberals as blocking federal legislation on protecting the right to abortion, has motivated much of the antagonism toward her.

That is clear in the reports, as former Planned Parenthood board chairwoman Naomi Aberly of Boston is among the first names that comes up on Gallego’s alphabetized list of donors who have given more than $200.

Sinema’s donors reveal her supporters as well, with several itemized contributions from people who work for the Carlyle Group Inc. and Blackstone Inc., two investment firms that benefit from Sinema’s work to preserve a tax provision in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Sinema's team at the time said she was focused on ensuring a tax environment that incentivized economic growth in Arizona.

Gallego also pounced on her donor list.

“Senator Sinema’s… filing has made clear that leaving the Democratic Party has stripped Sinema of any incumbency advantage or base of support, leaving her reliant on wealthy, special interest donors,” his campaign said.

Sinema in December switched her party affiliation to independent, meaning she will not face a primary challenge should she run.

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Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at ryan.randazzo@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ruben Gallego raises more money than Kyrsten Sinema in Senate race