Scalise brings in eye-popping $12M as GOP kicks off 2024 battle to keep House

FIRST ON FOX: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is gearing up to announce that he’s raised a whopping $12 million in the first three months of 2024 as the GOP braces for the battle to keep the House majority.

It’s part of $36 million the No. 2 House Republican has raised so far during the 2024 election cycle, which began January 2023, according to figures viewed by Fox News Digital. Of the cycle total, $16.1 million was raised solely online.

“Team Scalise isn’t slowing down,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Our digital program has been phenomenal – this [2024 election cycle] we’ve raised over $16 million online … more than any other member of Congress, Republican or Democrat.”

Scalise is funneling a significant portion of that amount into races across the country, including $12 million directly to the House GOP campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, he said.

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House Majority Leader Steve Scalise raised $12 million in the first quarter of 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/File)

It’s a strong showing for the Louisiana Republican, a historically prolific fundraiser who spent a significant portion of the current Congress undergoing treatment for cancer that he was diagnosed with in August 2023.

It comes as Republicans fight through their second year with a razor-thin House majority, which will be whittled down to just one vote after the April 19 departure of Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.

Scalise said House Republicans can keep and even expand that margin. He named Michigan, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Ohio and even California as places with seats that could flip from blue to red.

“There’s about 20-plus seats right now that are held by Democrats today that have a very real chance of flipping for Republican candidates,” he said. 

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Scalise is confident the GOP can fend off efforts by House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, above, to flip the majority. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images/File)

Scalise named border security and energy prices – and how President Biden has handled both – as two top issues Republicans can lead on to win across the country in November.

“The top issue you hear about everywhere you go is border security. People are furious that we had over 8 million people come across the border illegally and Joe Biden won’t do anything to stop it,” Scalise said. “And then there’s just the high cost of everything – energy, of course, being at the top of the list, but also groceries – you know, just people talking about sharing their stories about how expensive things are because of the inflation caused by all of the spending in D.C. and all of the policies coming out of Washington.”

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Scalise said President Biden would be a “huge drag” on Democrat candidates across the U.S. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes/File)

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A recent Fox News poll showed that 73% of Americans rate the economy negatively – a drop from 83% in May but still a significant number roughly nine months before a presidential election.

The late-March survey also saw Biden get just 30% approval on his handling of immigration, which is a new low.

Scalise said dissatisfaction with life under the Democrat president could also be key to the GOP’s victory in November.

“Joe Biden is a huge drag on the Democrats’ ticket right now. That’s going to be a big problem for them,” he said.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.