Heading into the midterm elections, millions of dollars are being thrown into the Democratic and Republican committees tasked with winning control of the Senate.

Democrats, who currently hold slim majorities in both chambers of Congress, now have a cash advantage. The current makeup of the Senate is 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and 2 Independents who typically allign with the Democrats.

What You Need To Know

  • Heading into the midterm elections, millions of dollars are being thrown into the Democratic and Republican committees tasked with winning control of the Senate

  • Democrats, who currently hold slim majorities in both chambers of Congress, now have a cash advantage when it comes to potentially breaking up the upper chamber's 50-50 deadlock

  • For the month of August, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) each raised about $12.6 million, but the DSCC has nearly $46 million on hand

  • Since Jan. 2021, the DSCC has raised nearly $186 million compared to the NRSC's $194 million, but Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who chairs the NRSC, has been criticized for how quickly the money has been spent

For the month of August, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) each raised about $12.6 million.

Expenses were also similar, with the NRSC spending about $20 million and the DSCC about $21 million. But, when it comes to cash on hand, the DSCC has nearly $46 million compared to the NRSC's $16 million.

"I think most people hear those numbers and say, 'Man, that is a lot of money for political races.' And it is. What it means going into November, though, is that Democrats have more to spread around in more races," Casey Burgat, the director of the Legislative Affairs programs at the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University said. 

Since Jan. 2021, the DSCC has raised nearly $186 million compared to the NRSC's $194 million, but Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who chairs the NRSC, has been criticized for how quickly the money has been spent. 

"We've dramatically outspent them and it's paid off. We're gonna continue to work hard and raise money," Scott told Spectrum News. 

While Scott says Senate Republicans "are on track to winning a minimum of 52 seats," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was less confident, Tuesday, calling it a "jump ball."

"I've consistently said for two years now that the Senate is 50/50, the country is 50/50, and I think the outcome for the Senate is likely to be 50/50," McConnell said. 

McConnell has publicly disagreed with Scott over his policy agenda, known as Plan to Rescue America. President Joe Biden has blasted Scott's plan, making the case that Republicans in Congress "are proposing to put Medicare and Medicaid on the chopping block every five years." 

McConnell and Scott have also sparred over the quality of the Republican candidates for Senate, which the Florida Republican called in a recent interview a "strategic disagreement." The NRSC did not make endorsements in the primaries for Senate races, and it defends its decision by saying voters in those states should choose those candidates. 

"I remember back in 2010, when I ran for governor, I was not the establishment candidate. So, I had no endorsements and actually, Washington oppose me in 2010, and actually didn't help me in 2018 when I was running for the Senate," Scott said. 

Burgat says at this point, projections ahead of the elections are just a guess. "The fact that there's a range between several Senate seats, even within their own conference means that no one's really sure about what's going to happen," Burgat added. 

Spectrum News has reached out to the DSCC for comment and an interview.