Republicans in Washington are closely monitoring the 2026 U.S. Senate map, which presents strong opportunities but also includes several at-risk incumbents who will need solid support to maintain the GOP majority.
Their outlook improved significantly on Tuesday, when the main fundraising arm for Senate Republicans reported a record-breaking haul for the first half of 2025—shattering expectations and giving both incumbents and challengers a major financial edge 16 months ahead of Election Day.
The Senate GOP’s top super PAC and its affiliated groups raised a combined $85 million in the first six months of the year, more than doubling their previous record.
The fundraising surge highlights the growing strength of Republican financial operations under Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who took the reins after longtime leader and fundraising heavyweight Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced he would step down from leadership and not seek reelection.
Alex Latcham, executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund, credited President Donald Trump for taking a more active role in the effort than he did during Sen. Mitch McConnell’s tenure. Latcham now co-leads the PAC with former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), following their takeover from Steven Law, a longtime McConnell confidant.
“We’re working with [the White House] to identify and vet Senate candidates,” Latcham told Axios, describing Trump’s involvement as an asset “as we navigate some of these primaries.” Conversations with the White House have come at a “regular cadence, whether it’s in person, over the phone,” he added.
The group has already started pouring resources into key states like Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, Alaska, and Nebraska—where a mix of strong GOP incumbents, open seats, and vulnerable Democratic senators make for one of the most favorable Senate maps in recent memory.
The Senate Leadership Fund also plans to support Republicans facing internal challenges, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who is fending off a primary threat from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and currently trails in recent polling.
SLF and its network of allied outside groups more than doubled the previous $38 million fundraising record set in 2023, according to Latcham. They enter the second half of 2025 with a combined $83 million in cash on hand, including $29 million held by SLF alone. That’s three times the cash on hand they had at this point in 2023—and five times the amount they held in 2021, Latcham noted.
