The chart above shows the money raised by the leading senate candidates in Texas for the last three quarters of 2017. Those candidates are Beto O'Rourke (Democrat) and Ted Cruz (Republican). Cruz is the incumbent.
Since entering the race, O'Rourke has raised more than Cruz in two of the three quarters of 2017 (the second and fourth quarters). O'Rourke raised $2.1 million in the second quarter, $1.7 million in the third quarter, and $2.4 million in the fourth quarter -- for a total in 2017 of $6.2 million.
Cruz raised $1.6 million in the second quarter, $2 million in the third quarter, and $1.9 million in the fourth quarter -- for a total in 2017 of $5.5 million.
Cruz accepts corporate and PAC money, but O'Rourke does not.
Even though O'Rourke raised $700,000 more than Cruz in 2017, he still trails Cruz in the amount of cash on hand. That's because Cruz already had money on hand when O'Rourke entered the race and began raising funds.
