Cash washes over the vulnerable House Democratic newcomers

The most politically vulnerable first-term House Democrats may have run against the campaign finance status quo in 2018, but they are proving themselves adept at exploiting the system for 2020.

Of the 43 freshmen already identified as targets by the House Republican campaign operation, only eight raised less than $300,000 in the first three months of this year, Politico reports. And none of them raised less than Republicans who have already launched challenger campaigns.

Democrats have a 19-seat majority, and the solid early fundraising by their vulnerable freshmen is one indication the party will have the resources necessary to defend its control.

The biggest funding haul among the newcomers was $874,000 by Josh Harder, who narrowly ousted GOP incumbent Jeff Denham last year in a central California district that is a presidential battleground. Five others, all of whom also ousted sitting Republican House members in purple or red-tinged districts, raised more than $500,000: Antonio Delgado and Max Rose of New York; Joe Cunningham of South Carolina; Katie Hill of California; and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher of Texas.