Tlaib raises $3.7M for reelection after censure by House colleagues

Washington ― Detroit U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib raised nearly $3.7 million toward her reelection bid last quarter, a period that included her censure by the Republican-led U.S. House over her remarks on the Israel-Hamas war.

The total tops what some senators and Senate candidates raise in a typical quarter in targeted statewide races. For example, Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania raised $3.6 million last quarter; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz took in $3.4 million ― both up for reelection in competitive contests.

The fundraising haul for Tlaib comes as the pro-Israel groups have been trying to recruit a potential primary challenger to run against her, the only Palestinian American in Congress, because of her opposition to military aid and anti-Israel rhetoric. No candidate has stepped forward yet.

"The way you scare challengers away is to post a really strong quarter. That's an awesome quarter. You demonstrate strength through raising the money," said Kyle Kondik, who tracks House elections at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

"The message Tlaib is sending is, ‘I’m going to be hard to beat,’ no matter what you think of her."

Tlaib's campaign said it received donations from over 32,600 people in the three-month period, with an average donation under $75 and over 22,700 first-time donors. She ended the year with $3.8 million in cash reserves.

"I am so grateful to my district, Michiganders and to our supporters all over the country who believe in my leadership and relentless advocacy for the people," Tlaib said in a statement.

"The polling has shown time and time again that a majority of Americans want to stop funding endless wars, they want an end to violence at home and abroad, and they want our government to invest in life, not death," she added. "I’m so inspired by the diversity and strength of our supporters who are standing up to send me back to Washington to continue speaking the truth about the issues at home and abroad.”

The vote to censure Tlaib on Nov. 8 was 234-188, with 22 of her Democratic colleagues voting in favor of censure, the body's most severe form of punishment for members short of expulsion. 

Tlaib was the second of three members censured by the House last year after California Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat, in June. Schiff also saw a windfall, raising $8 million for his U.S. Senate bid in the quarter after his censure.

Previously, the most Tlaib had raised in a reporting period was $777,400 in the second quarter of 2020, according to campaign finance reports. The former state lawmaker is serving her third term in Congress.

Tlaib should perhaps thank another Detroit Democrat, Hill Harper, who is running for Senate, for her monster fundraising total, said Wayne County Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch, who chairs the Democratic Party in the neighboring 13th Congressional District.

Harper last fall made national headlines when he publicly claimed that he was offered $20 million from a Metro Detroit businessman and one-time donor to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee if Harper dropped out of Michigan's Senate race and instead ran against Tlaib.

He declined. But the news broke at a time when Tlaib was taking heavy criticism from her House colleagues and others for her fiery defense of Palestinian human rights and calls for a cease-fire in the weeks following the Hamas militant group's Oct. 7 attack on Israeli citizens.

"I think what people understood was this ‘enemy’ or ‘boogey-monster’ was coming after her with big money, and so they gave," Kinloch said. "At the end of the day, she needs to thank Hill Harper and all the others who built up the narrative that she’s under attack by pro-Israel supporters."

He added that Tlaib's haul is even more notable because she’s from Detroit and not from California, New York or Texas, which are major donor bases. "We don’t have that kind of donor base here," Kinloch said.

Tlaib and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Missouri, were the only two lawmakers to vote no Wednesday night on a bill barring from entry to the U.S. any members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad or Hamas involved in planning or supporting the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The measure, which passed 422-2, also would expand an existing bar against officers, representatives and spokespersons of the Palestinian Liberation Organization from entering the country to cover all PLO members, according to a summary.

In a statement after the vote, Tlaib said the bill is unnecessary because it is redundant under existing federal immigration law.

"It’s just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe," Tlaib said.

Hertel outpacing Barrett in fundraising

In other closely watched U.S. House races, former state Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, outpaced former state Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, in the contest for the tossup 7th District in mid-Michigan.

Hertel brought in $554,231 in the last three months of the year and closed out with $1 million in the bank. Barrett raised $431,512 and had $648,928 in cash reserves.

In the competitive 10th District, first-term U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, hauled in $544,820 and had $2.3 million cash on hand as of Dec. 31. The district covers southern Macomb County, Rochester and Rochester Hills.

"I’m humbled by the support our co-pilots continue to show us," James said in a statement. "My track record speaks for itself, and I want to be clear — our work is just getting started."

In the 10th District Democratic primary, Dr. Anil Kumar of Bloomfield Hills reported $323,644 in receipts, including $137,500 that he loaned his campaign. Kumar had $755,950 in the bank.

Kumar out-raised former Macomb County prosecutor and judge Carl Marlinga of Sterling Heights, who pulled in $147,842 and had $160,567 cash on hand. Marlinga narrowly lost to James in 2022.

Democrat Diane Young of Warren raised $83,493 in the 10th District, Emily Busch of Oxford raised $106,598 and Tiffany Tilley of West Bloomfield Township raised $23,090.

Thanedar self-funding again

In the 13th District, freshman U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, reported $2.4 million in receipts last quarter. That figure included $2.15 million that he loaned his campaign and about $214,100 from individual donors. Thanedar reported $2.6 million in the bank for his reelection bid.

"I'm confident we will have the resources to effectively communicate our accomplishments to the voters of the 13th District and ask that they continue to put their trust in my representation of the district," Thanedar said.

Thanedar challenger and former state Sen. Adam Hollier of Detroit reported $443,637 in receipts and $406,526 in cash reserves.

“I’m overwhelmed by the groundswell of support for our campaign from every corner of the district,” Hollier said in a statement. “Voters want a Congressman who actually shows up and delivers for this community. That’s what I’ve always done, and that’s exactly what I’ll do in Congress.”

Hollier lost a nine-way Democratic primary contest in the 13th District in 2022, coming in second with 24% to Thanedar's 28%.

Republican Martell Bivings filed a report showing he raised $241 last quarter and had no cash on hand in his bid for the 13th District.

In mid-Michigan's 8th District, where Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee of Flint Township is not running for another term, Republican Paul Junge reported receipts of $716,725, including $16,725 from individual donors and $700,000 he loaned his campaign on Dec. 28.

Junge lost to Kildee in 2022 by nearly 10 percentage points. His cash on hand was $786,190 as of Dec. 31.

Republican candidate Martin Blank raised $8,066 and had $7,815 in cash reserves; and GOP hopeful Anthony Hudson raised $11,867 and had $478 in the bank.

Democrats Pam Pugh of Saginaw brought in $46,521 and had $30,977 cash on hand, and Daniel Moilanen of Flint raised $10,116 and had $5,525 on hand.

Democratic state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley both launched their campaigns in the 8th District this month and didn't have to file reports yet.

mburke@detroitnews.com