House Speaker Paul Ryan raised more campaign cash than any of his predecessors, his political team said Wednesday, just as Ryan was starting his campaign for a second term as the top leader in the House.
During his first year as speaker, Ryan, R-Wis., raised almost $90 million, including $52 million from his political organization.
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“This far surpasses any amount that past speakers, including John Boehner, who was a prolific fundraiser, raised in two years,” Ryan’s political team said in a statement late Wednesday.
Ryan is hoping to receive credit for at least some of the GOP’s election gains, including wins in his home state of Wisconsin, where Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, beat back a tough Democratic challenger and president-elect Donald Trump prevailed over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the first GOP presidential win since 1984. Ryan gave $1 million to Wisconsin, a cash infusion he believe also helped Donald Trump and Mike Pence carry the state by a wide margin.
While some political analysts believed the House GOP would suffer double-digit losses on Nov. 8, Republicans appear to have lost only six seats, leaving the party with a healthy 20-seat majority.
Ryan played a role in staving off heavy losses, according to Ryan’s political team, by barnstorming the state this fall for vulnerable members in Florida, Nebraska, Minnesota and California. Ryan visited 25 states and 66 cities since October and appeared at nearly 70 events for lawmakers and candidates, his team said.
Since he was elected speaker a year ago, Ryan has raised more than $40 million for the House campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee.
“This allowed the NRCC to maintain a cash-on-hand advantage throughout the cycle and go head to head with [Democrat] advertising.
Comparatively, former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, raised $38.3 million in the 2012 and 2014 election cycles.
