EXCLUSIVE — Democrat Tamie Wilson raised $1 million in her uphill battle against House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) in Ohio’s 4th Congressional District.
She said she tipped the $1 million mark thanks to a fundraising bump of about $178,000 raised in July through mid-August that coincided with President Joe Biden ending his reelection bid. Until that point, she had raised nearly $822,000 this election cycle since January 2023 but at a slower pace.
Democratic excitement over Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign is appearing to have a trickle-down effect on fellow downballot Democrats, including Wilson, in a red district. The Ohio Democrat said her campaign raised $100,000 in two days after Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris. Harris herself smashed presidential fundraising records by bringing in $81 million in the 24 hours after Biden's announcement on July 21.
“With Kamala entering the race, that has made a huge surge in our fundraising. That has been an absolute blessing,” Wilson told the Washington Examiner before pivoting to discussing Biden’s exit. “It was such a blessing that he got out, and it's really just energized our base.”
Wilson said she has now raised more than any other Democrat who has challenged Jordan in his 17-year career in Congress.
Jordan’s decision not to vote for the CHIPS Act, which will enable Intel to move forward in building semiconductor factories in Ohio, remains one of the criticisms Wilson has levied.
Wilson ran against Jordan during the 2022 midterm elections but lost the race by nearly 40 percentage points. The Ohio congressman vastly outraised his Democratic rival, raking in nearly $14 million to Wilson’s $170,439, according to Open Secrets .
As of June, Jordan has raised more than $10.5 million with $10.3 million cash on hand.
Although the district is not considered a competitive race, the uptick in Wilson’s fundraising could indicate a changed landscape from just two years ago. Democrats, once demoralized over Biden’s health, are now galvanized around Harris’s candidacy, and that may help the party put up a better fight in the battle for control of Congress.
“This campaign, it's on fire. It's just, it's completely out of control,” Wilson said. “Everyone is energized about it."
Wilson, an Ohio native, defeated fellow Democrat Steve Thomas during the March primary to take on Jordan. She will need to win over local independents, manufacturing workers, and veterans who comprise key segments in the 4th District.
The Washington Examiner contacted the Jordan campaign for comment.
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Jordan has been an ally of former President Donald Trump in Congress, and aside from being the chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, he leads the House weaponization committee that was formed in 2023 to investigate allegations of bias at the Justice Department, the intelligence community, and other federal departments that conservatives accuse of working to silence Republicans.
He has gone on offense against the Biden administration with subpoena power and has been a frequent defender of Trump. The Cook Political Report rates Ohio's 4th District as "solid Republican" with an R+20 rating.
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