Gideon leads Collins in fundraising for Senate race after $7.1 million haul in first quarter

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sara Gideon is leading Sen. Susan Collins in fundraising after a $7.1 million haul in the first quarter of 2020.

Gideon has raised $14.8 million total in her bid to unseat Collins, a Republican who is seeking a fifth term this November.

Collins, meanwhile, raised $2.4 million this quarter, bringing her total fundraising to date to $13.2 million, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission Wednesday. Collins closed the quarter with $5.6 million cash on hand, compared to Gideon’s $4.6 million.

The Senate race in Maine is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate races in the country this fall. Gideon, a Freeport Democrat currently serving as speaker of the Maine House, still faces a July primary against competitors Bre Kidman and Betsy Sweet.

Sweet, a progressive activist from Hallowell, raised about $145,000 in the first quarter for a total of $417,500 this election cycle. She ended the quarter with about $37,500 cash on hand.

Kidman, a Saco attorney, took in $5,200 this quarter for a total of $21,400 this election cycle and has $6,300 on hand.

Meanwhile, Lisa Savage, an independent Green candidate from Solon, raised $32,900 this quarter and ended with $5,900 cash on hand. She has raised $57,450 to date.

In addition to the major sums raised by individual candidates, the Senate race in Maine already has drawn vast amounts of outside spending, a trend that is only expected to increase as the election grows closer.

A spokesman for Gideon said Wednesday that the $7.1 million this quarter includes contributions from 5,400 Mainers and that 96 percent of individual contributions were under $100.

A spokesman for Collins’ campaign said the incumbent is not concerned about the fundraising gap.

“Senator Collins is solely focused on the health of the people of Maine and our country and the well-being of our economy,” Kevin Kelley said in an email. “Our campaign will have the funds it needs.”

The senator, a four-term incumbent, is seen by the national Democratic Party as vulnerable, especially following recent votes to confirm U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and in February to acquit President Trump in his impeachment trial.

Survey results released last month from the left-leaning Public Policy Polling showed Gideon leading Collins 47 percent to 43 percent while a February Colby College poll showed the two in a dead heat, with the would-be Democratic challenger edging Maine’s Republican senator 43 percent to 42 percent with 14 percent undecided.