Democratic candidates are raking in large sums of money for Senate, House and downballot campaigns — a sign that the grassroots enthusiasm remains strong despite earlier concerns of fundraising challenges following the party’s rout in November.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), one of the GOP’s top targets next year, raised more than $11 million in his first quarter of fundraising, while former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), a Virginia gubernatorial candidate, raked in $6.7 million in the first three months of 2025. Even Democrats running in two House special elections in Florida raised more than $15 million despite campaigning in comfortably Republican districts.

Strategists and fundraisers point to different reasons the party is still seeing strong numbers, suggesting President Trump and his administration are galvanizing voters and that an anxious Democratic donor base wants to help the party.

But some members, too, are looking to engage more directly with candidates and campaigns right now, as opposed to larger Democratic groups, pointing to frustration with the leadership in Washington.

“I think there are a lot of donors who simply want to be inspired by the cause, want to believe in the leadership of the candidate or the cause in order to be compelled to give,” said Rufus Gifford, who served as finance chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and later the Harris-Walz presidential campaign.

Months after a disappointing November election, Democrats have struggled to navigate a second Trump term, with little agreement on messaging or tactics to oppose the president. The party has also been mired in a leadership void as former President Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris have largely remained out of the........

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