Rep. Chris Rabb leads Pennsylvania primary fundraising, but Stanford holds cash edge

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Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia, surged to the front of the Democratic primary fundraising race in the latest quarter, nearly doubling his closest rivals, despite a recent campaign finance scandal that drained his coffers.

Rabb, who identifies as the progressive candidate in the race, brought in nearly $385,000 between Jan. 1 and March 31.

That number was around twice as much as both of his primary competitors — state Sen. Sharif Street, who previously led the field in fundraising, with $199,000, and Dr. Ala Stanford, with $211,000, in the same period of time.

While Rabb led in new money raised, Stanford entered April with the strongest overall financial position, partly thanks to a $250,000 loan she gave her campaign last year. Her campaign reported about $450,000 cash on hand, compared to Rabb’s $236,000. Street ended the quarter with $263,000.

Rabb’s total was especially notable because it came after his team disclosed that his former treasurer allegedly made more than $160,000 in unauthorized withdrawals from the campaign account last year.

His war chest was buoyed by strong small-dollar support and some high-profile donors, likely the result of endorsements by a slate of significant local progressive organizations. In an email to WHYY News, the campaign touted the fact that he has five times the number of Philly donors as each of his opponents.

Rabb credited his progressive credentials for his success in courting donors.

“I ask people who have not been seeing themselves as part of the donor class,” he told WHYY News. ”For the first time in my political career, I literally have 20-year-olds who are giving me money. It may be a dollar or $5, but it adds up, which is why I have the most donors of all candidates combined.”

However, Stanford’s chances are also being boosted by 314 Action, a political action committee looking to elect “Democratic scientists to public office.” The PAC is spending millions on her behalf and running the first TV ads in the race.

All of the candidates are also receiving major local and national endorsements. Philadelphia Mayor Cherrelle Parker endorsed Street, who also picked up another union endorsement from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33. Rabb, meanwhile, received the endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC and Emily’s List, a PAC that supports women candidates with millions in funding nationally, endorsed Stanford.

The election still appears very open with little public polling available. The latest poll placed Stanford ahead, but that poll was commissioned by 314.