Wild's campaign war chest 10 times higher than Mackenzie's haul
FEC reports show the incumbent Democrat with $3.8M in cash versus $365,495 for her Republican challenger
U.S. Rep. Susan Wild had 10 times more cash than her Republican opponent, state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, at the end of June, according to campaign finance reports filed this week with the Federal Election Commission.
Wild, a Democrat who was unopposed in the April primary, had more than $3.8 million in cash thanks to $1.5 million that flowed into her campaign since April 4.
Mackenzie, who won a competitive three-way GOP primary in April, ended the first half of the year with $365,495 in cash. His campaign brought in $404,397 and spent $156,047 since April 4, with much of the money going to primary campaign expenses.
Wild is seeking her fourth term in the 7th Congressional District – which comprises all of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties and a small portion of Monroe County.
The race is again considered a toss-up and critical to each party’s drive to control the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority.
Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College political science professor and director of the school’s Institute of Public Opinion, said Wild’s campaign haul speaks to her standing as an incumbent.
“Incumbent members of Congress often have significant financial resources in their bids for reelection, which helps contribute to their overwhelming success in these races,” Borick said in an email. “Wild's lead on the campaign finance front certainly helps as she tries to defend a seat in a very competitive district and in an increasingly challenging cycle for Democrats.”
He expects the fundraising difference between the candidates to close as the campaign continues.
“It's likely that Mackenzie will narrow that finance gap as Republicans invest in what is considered a winnable district and while he is unlikely to outperform Wild on this front, I expect he will have substantial resources to work with this fall. It's going to end up being a very expensive race and likely set a record for the congressional race in the area,” Borick said.
At nearly $14 million, the 7th District race in 2022 was the most expensive House race in Pennsylvania. In that race, Wild faced Republican Lisa Scheller for a second time. In the 2022 GOP primary, Scheller defeated Kevin Dellicker, who lost to Mackenzie in April.
Scheller backed Maria Montero, the other losing candidate in this year’s GOP primary, with a $3,300 contribution. After the primary, she gave Mackenzie’s campaign $3,300.
Berwood A. Yost, director Floyd Institute for Public Policy Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College, said he was surprised by the fundraising gap between Wild and Mackenzie at this point in the race. The Nov. 5 election is less than four months away.
“Most political observers believe that PA-7 is one of only about two dozen congressional seats that are toss ups, so we might expect both parties and their surrogates to give heavily to either hold or win it,” he said in an email.
Yost said Mackenzie has his work cut out for him.
“Perhaps the fundraising is lagging a bit because of the contested Republican primary race or because of Wild's success at holding her seat in prior races is giving donors pause, but whatever the cause he is going to need more resources to win the race.”
The quarter two report ended days after President Joe Biden’s poor performance in a debate with his challenger, former President Donald Trump. It also preceded the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
SUSAN WILD
Wild is outpacing her past fundraising efforts.
At this point in her campaign, Wild has $712,121 more in the bank than she had on June 30, 2022, according to FEC reports.
Wild’s $1,536,705 in receipts is a half a million more than what she raised between Jan. 1 and April 3 when she had $2,662,153 in cash on hand, according to a first-quarter FEC report.
Her campaign said Wild is pleased with her donor support.
“With contributions pouring in from across the district, state and country, it’s clear that the Greater Lehigh Valley wants to send Susan Wild back to Washington,” said Wild for Congress spokesperson Natalie Gould. “As we gear up for the final stretch of the general election, Susan’s campaign is well positioned to make the case to voters across PA-07 why her record of defending choice, protecting jobs, and lowering everyday costs should earn her another term in Congress.”
The bulk of the 2024 second quarter donations – $1,017,920 – came from individuals with another $193,402 from political committees and $2,892 from political party committees, according to the report filed by Susan Wild for Congress.
In addition, Wild’s campaign listed $305,335 in transfers from authorized committees that engage in joint fundraising.
Wild spent $331,644 between April and June, with most of her expenses going for payroll, consulting, polling, catering and administrative costs.
Minus expenses, Wild was left with $3,855,492 heading into the summer. The report lists no loans.
For the second quarter in 2024, most of Wild’s donors came from outside the Lehigh Valley.
Local contributors included former Allentown School Board director Charlie Thiel ($1,000); Frederick Learey of Garden Design ($1,000); Musikfest founder Jeffrey A. Parks ($1,100); Andrea Lycette of Coopersburg ($1,000), and Marlene Ambrogio of Allentown ($1,500); Kathie Leslie of Emmaus ($2,500); Lynda Krawitz of Allentown ($1,000); Henry Lyons of Allentown ($1,000); Diana Morganelli of Bethlehem ($1,000); attorney George S. Kounoupis of Bethlehem ($1,000); Maria Rodale of Bethlehem ($3,300), and Tom Whalen of Allentown ($2,000).
PAC contributions included JStreetPAC ($26,085); DigiDems PAC ($17,000); NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC ($2,000); Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) PAC ($2,500); National Air Traffic Controllers Association PAC ($2,000); Silk PAC ($1,000); Human Rights Campaign PAC ($1,500); NCTA - The Internet and Television Association Political Action Committee ($1,000); La Bamba PAC ($2,500); American Crystal Sugar Company PAC ($5,000), and the National Elevator Constructors PAC ($5,000).
For the 2024 election cycle, which began in 2023, Wild raised a total of $5,079,311 and spent $1,403,520.
RYAN MACKENZIE
Mackenzie, who represents the state’s 187th District, started the most recent reporting period with $117,145 in cash. He raised $404,397, bringing his total to $5221,542. After spending $156,047, his campaign was left with $365,495.
In a statement from his campaign, Mackenzie said, “We are grateful to have received donations, large and small, from everyday Americans who support our positive vision for America and are fed up with Susan Wild’s extremist agenda of reckless spending, a wide open border, and a total lack of concern for working families.”
Major contributors, who gave $3,300 each, are: Lee Butz, owner of the Allentown construction management company Alvin H. Butz Inc.; Anderson L. Daub, retired owner of Brown-Daub auto dealers; John and Tina Dowd of Lehighton, president and owner, respectively, of Sundance Vacations; Jacqueline and David Jaindl of Jaindl Farms; Linda McMahon, administrator of the Small Business Administration in the Trump administration and former president and CEO of WWE; Richard Uihlein, a GOP mega donor and owner of Uline Products which operates a distribution warehouse in Lehigh County; Andrew W. Wright, owner of Lehigh Valley Acura; and Arthur Wright, manager of Vinart Management Co.
PACs and political groups that donated $5,000 each: National Republican Congressional Committee; Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania; Associated Builders & Contractors. Inc. PAC; Citizens for Prosperity in America Today PAC; Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans PAC; Greater Tomorrow PAC; JAM PAC; U.S. Chamber PAC.
The Mackenzie campaign also received money from American Revival PAC, $10,000; First in Freedom PAC, $7,500; Jim Jordan for Congress, $2,000, and Meuser for Congress, $5,300.
Mackenzie’s primary campaign received a major boost from the Koch network PAC, Americans for Prosperity Action, which independently spent $497,676 to promote his candidacy, according to FEC records.
Koch Industries Inc. PAC contributed $5,000 to Mackenzie's campaign committee on June 30.
Mackenzie for America, a PAC formed in May after the primary, gave $64,297 to the Mackenzie campaign.