Sen. Martha McSally raised about $9.2M in 2nd quarter, spent $8.5M

PHOENIX – U.S. Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona reported her best fundraising quarter of the current campaign this week, but the Republican spent nearly as much as she took in.

McSally, who is facing a stiff challenge from Democratic fundraising juggernaut Mark Kelly, collected over $9.2 million for April-June, but she spent more than $8.5 million in that span, according to Federal Election Commission records.

That left her with just under $11 million cash on hand, an amount dwarfed by Kelly’s nearly $24 million war chest, with four months left until the general election.

McSally’s campaign said the average second-quarter donation was $48.

Kelly’s campaign revealed a second-quarter fundraising haul of nearly $12.8 million earlier this week, with an average donation of about $44.

The retired astronaut, who has no active challengers in the Aug. 4 primary, has raised more than $44 million in his first run for office.

McSally, a former Air Force pilot, has raised more than $28.2 million in her bid to hold the seat she was appointed to in 2018 following the death of Sen. John McCain.

Conservative Valley businessman Daniel McCarthy is campaigning to replace McSally as the GOP candidate. He raised about $144,000 in the second quarter and reported almost $24,000 cash on hand, according to the FEC.

The Nov. 3 general election is for the remainder of McCain’s term, which runs through 2022.

Democrats are targeting McSally’s seat as a key prize in their attempt to take control of the Senate.

Kelly has been leading McSally in the polls. OH Predictive Insights, a Phoenix research firm that’s been tracking the race, released polling this week showing Kelly up by 9 percentage points, although that was down from 13 points from May.

McSally isn’t the only Arizona Republican incumbent member of Congress getting significantly outraised by a Democratic.

Rep. David Schweikert raised just under $200,000 in the second quarter, while Democrat Dr. Hiral Tipirneni took in more than triple that amount for the race in District 6, which spans across the North Valley.

Tipirneni raised more than $665,000 in the second quarter and is carrying more than $1.6 million into the stretch run.

Meanwhile, Schweikert, who is the subject of an ongoing House ethics investigation about spending in his office, had about $236,000 cash on hand.

Schweikert, however, does not have a primary challenger.

Tipirneni, who lost two previous bids against Rep. Debbie Lesko in District 4, has to fend off three other Democrats who filed second-quarter FEC reports: Anita Malik, Stephanie Rimmer and Karl Gentles.

Early mail-in voting for the Arizona primary began July 8.

July 24 is the last day voters who aren’t on the permanent early voting list can request a mail-in ballot.

Mail-in ballots must be received at county elections offices by 7 p.m. on Election Day. July 29 is recommended as the latest day to get ballots in the mail.

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