New figures show the difference between quarterly fundraising and money available to spend
by SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Alabama’s latest congressional fundraising reports show that a strong quarter and a large campaign treasury measure different things, with North Alabama offering a clear example as candidates approach the November 3 election.
According to the Alabama Reflector’s October 19 review of third-quarter filings, Republican Rep. Dale Strong raised approximately $236,500, compared with Democratic challenger Andrew Sneed’s $214,400. Strong nevertheless retained roughly $1.2 million in cash, compared with Sneed’s $220,900.
The fundraising gap for that quarter was about $22,100. The difference in available cash was substantially larger, reflecting the broader financial position each campaign brought into the final stretch.
In the 2nd Congressional District, the Reflector reported Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures raised about $1 million during the quarter, compared with Republican challenger Rhett Marques’ $316,800. It reported roughly $1.4 million in cash for Figures and $327,600 for Marques.
The Federal Election Commission’s Figures committee summary independently lists $1,376,918.18 in ending cash through September 30. It also lists $2,408,245.01 in total receipts for January 2025 through September 2026. That longer reporting window must not be confused with money raised in one quarter.
“Newly filed summary data may not appear for up to 48 hours,” the FEC cautions on its committee pages.
Campaign finance reports document money received, spent and retained. They do not measure voter preference, turnout or the effectiveness of a particular advertisement. A fundraising advantage therefore cannot establish who will win.
For readers following Alabama’s races, the useful comparison is between matching periods and categories: quarterly receipts against quarterly receipts, and available cash against available cash. Keeping those distinctions clear helps explain campaign resources without turning financial disclosures into election forecasts or confusing cumulative totals with recent donations.