NRSC Chairman Jerry Moran tirelessly made the case that a majority was winnable. NRSC raised $17.1 million in October

The National Republican Senatorial Committee brought in just less than $17.1 million during October, sources told POLITICO.

The party committee had about $4.7 million cash on hand as of midnight Friday — but $9 million in debt after taking out a late loan in their play to seize the Senate majority.


The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said two weeks ago that it raised $6.5 million in the first half of October and took out a $10 million loan for the final weeks before the election. It still has two weeks to reveal its haul for the second half of the month.

( Also on POLITICO: Senate battle could go overtime)

The NRSC’s number also includes a $4 million transfer from the Republican National Committee.

The Democratic committee, which controls the majority and benefited from many presidential fundraisers, outraised its Republican counterpart for the cycle. But Republican donors were slow to open their wallets last year. They felt burned after the GOP lost two Senate seats in 2012.

NRSC leaders — including Chairman Jerry Moran, Vice Chair Rob Portman and Executive Director Rob Collins — tirelessly made the case that a majority was winnable, even when the donor class and the pundits scoffed. Now they are widely viewed as more likely than not to pick up the six seats needed for a majority — if not Tuesday, then perhaps in a December Louisiana runoff.