Houston’s Dan Crenshaw has become one of the biggest fundraisers on Capitol Hill, deepening his influence in the halls of Congress and making him a formidable statewide candidate if he ever chose to run for higher office in Texas.
Crenshaw has raised nearly $11 million for his re-election campaign since the start of 2021 — the 3rd highest total of the 435 members of the U.S. House. Only House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy have raised more, according to Federal Election Commission records.
No other member of the U.S. House from Texas ranks within the top 40 fundraisers, and more is coming for Crenshaw.
He continues to blast fundraising appeals to his supporters, pledging to help elect more Republicans to Congress to take control from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats.
“This is the most important midterm election of our lifetimes — and Dan Crenshaw will not let your contributions go to waste,” one recent letter says.
Crenshaw, a 38-year-old retired Navy SEAL, has built a national fundraising platform starting shortly after he was elected in 2018, when he was lampooned on Saturday Night Live by comic Pete Davidson, who made fun of his eye patch. Crenshaw lost use of his right eye in a 2012 bomb blast in Afghanistan that nearly killed him.
The resulting media coverage — and a Crenshaw appearance on SNL after Davidson apologized — helped build the then-freshman’s national profile. Nearly $1 million of his donations since 2021 have come from California, New York or Florida, according to FEC records.
Thanks to partisan redistricting Crenshaw, who is seeking a third term in the House this year, doesn’t really need the money for his own re-election.
Top leadership fund contributor
After a closer than expected 2020 re-election victory, the Texas Legislature redrew his district, removing tens of thousands of voters just west of downtown Houston and replaced with 380,000 Montgomery County residents to make it a rock-solid GOP stronghold.
Crenshaw does have opposition in November. Democratic activist Robin Fulford of The Woodlands, is trying to unseat Crenshaw. She has raised just over $60,000 for the race so far.
That has freed Crenshaw to send hundreds of thousands of dollars to other campaigns, local Republican groups and political causes. Crenshaw, who runs a political action committee called America Reloaded, has doled out more than $200,000 to 42 candidates in 17 states. That has included helping U.S. Senate and House candidates, Texas House candidates, county judge candidates and school board members.
While some members of Congress sit on their fundraising haul to project political power, Crenshaw says he is constantly spending as part of a mission he said to try to grow the party, not just in Congress, but beyond.
“I try not to be selfish with the money I raise,” Crenshaw said. “I spend my time and resources helping quality Republicans keep their seats or flip Democrat seats across the country.”
The splashiest example of that is a series of movie-trailer-like videos he’s released over the last few years where he plays the part of a military leader recruiting a band of GOP soldiers to get into Congress. In 2020, that brought publicity and dollars to candidates including U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving. A spinoff ad in Georgia helped two incumbent U.S. Senate candidates who would go on to lose their runoff elections, solidifying the Democrat’s majority in Congress.
This year, he’s revived the reloaded theme, with new videos that have helped Republicans Wesley Hunt and Morgan Luttrell win their congressional primaries in Harris and Montgomery counties.
But it’s not just Texas. Crenshaw is sending the maximum allowable $5,000 donation into races in places like California, Illinois and Minnesota, plus has poured $100,000 into the Congressional Leadership Fund, which targets dozens of seats to grow the GOP ranks in Congress. No member of Congress has given more to the Congressional Leadership Fund than Crenshaw.
Crenshaw has also spent more than $400,000 to put on an annual Youth Summit in Houston aimed at building connections with younger GOP voters.
‘Best way to move up’
There is more to what Crenshaw is doing than just being charitable, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor.
By involving himself in other races, he’s building good will with other future members and alliances on Capitol Hill that can help him pass legislation, secure committee positions and grow his role in leadership in the House.
“The best way to move up in leadership in Congress is to be a hub for political funds,” Rottinghaus said.
The only Republican doing more than Crenshaw on that front is McCarthy, who has raised $13 million since the start of 2021 and is trying to line up support to be the Speaker of the House next year if Republicans regain control of the House. McCarthy has been the top fundraiser among U.S. House members. Pelosi has raised just over $12 million.
Rottinghaus said Crenshaw’s spending and ability to raise millions of dollars, even when he doesn’t have a competitive re-election, is only fueling his options to run for higher office someday. Raising $11 million in just over a year already would make him a serious contender to run for the U.S. Senate if a seat opens up. Some have talked about Crenshaw as a presidential contender.
At his youth summit in September, a member of the audience asked him about running for president or governor someday.
“I don’t know, you know, but to answer that honestly, always will keep options open,” Crenshaw said.
