Slotkin reports $4.4M fundraising haul in U.S. Senate bid

Washington — Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin raised $4.4 million last quarter and started April with over $8.6 million in cash reserves for her bid for U.S. Senate, her campaign said Thursday.

Since launching in February of last year, she's led the Senate fundraising field bringing in nearly $16 million, which her campaign said is a record for the most raised by a U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan history at this point in the cycle.

Slotkin, a three-term congresswoman from Holly, is seeking the Democratic nomination for Senate. Others in the primary race include the actor and author Hill Harper of Detroit and businessman Nasser Beydoun of Dearborn.

On the Republican side, candidates include former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers of Brighton, Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids Township and Justin Amash of Cascade Township, as well as businessman Sandy Pensler of Grosse Pointe Park. In the previous quarter, Pensler and Rogers led receipts in the GOP primary contest.

They all competing for the open seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, in what's shaping up to be an expensive, competitive and closely watched Senate contest. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the Michigan race as "leans" Democratic.

Slotkin is the first Senate candidate in Michigan to announce her fundraising total for the three-month period that ended Sunday. Most candidates are required to file reports with the Federal Election Commission by April 15.

“Over the past year, Elissa Slotkin has built a grassroots campaign that is drawing support from across Michigan — and without any corporate PAC money,” spokesman Antoine Givens said.

The campaign said it added over 28,000 new donors during the quarter and that 95% of contributions totaled $100 or less.

"Liberal donors from New York and California are flooding Elissa Slotkin’s campaign account," said Maggie Abboud, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is backing Rogers. "She’s going to be well-funded, but no amount of money can cover up her record of supporting open borders, gas car bans, and pro-criminal policies."

The contest for Stabenow's seat this year could be key in deciding which party controls the chamber in 2025. 

mburke@detroitnews.com