WASHINGTON, D. C. – The Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) today announced record-breaking fundraising in 2017: 7.6 million across all platforms—more than $2.4 million above 2016 numbers and $3 million more than 2015. Commitments to DAGA for 2018 indicate this upward trend in fundraising will continue, as the Democratic Attorneys General Association increasingly garners public recognition and media interest.

“DAGA’s record 2017 fundraising is proof that this committee is being recognized – and rewarded – for doing things differently, and Democratic donors have started to understand the need to financially support and prioritize the election of Democrats to the office of state Attorney General” said Sean Rankin, Executive Director of the Democratic Attorneys General Association. “These past 18 months were a demonstration of how DAGA 2.0 is stepping up to support collaboration between Democratic Attorneys General, recruit the most diverse and qualified set of Democratic Attorneys General candidates the party has ever seen for this office, and find innovative data and digital tools to bolster these critical races.”

In July 2016, DAGA transitioned from a part-time committee based in Denver to a full-time office headquartered in Washington, D.C.— and for the first time hired a full-time Executive Director, Sean Rankin, and subsequently a full-time staff to re-think how to support and elect Democratic Attorneys General. Growing from a donor base of less than 500 in 2016 to more than 5,000 donors by the end of 2017, DAGA is the only national organization solely dedicated to supporting and electing Democrats to the Office of Attorney General. The most recent hire of experienced fundraiser Nick Veach is further evidence of the committee’s intended trajectory.

“I am incredibly grateful for the support and leadership of our co-chairs, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine, and our Steering Committee. Their leadership has allowed DAGA to move aggressively to the cutting edge in data and research in order to find better strategies to support candidates for Attorney General and capture competitive advantage,” said Rankin. “This is a key element to our winning track record in battleground states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia even as we were being outspent – and now we are seeing our fundraising numbers grow, which will give us the opportunity to invest and win in more places in 2018.”

In 2016, DAGA won two out of three targeted races where we went head-to-head with the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), securing wins in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. In 2017, Attorney General Mark Herring won a landslide victory in Virginia despite RAGA spending more than $7 million against him.

“Against an opponent with half decade head start, our fundraising numbers and winning record are notable —but they are yesterday’s milestones,” Rankin concluded. “This committee is rising—and our attention is on expanding the resource base and creating new tools to rack up election wins in 2018. This is where we catch up.”

Following President Trump’s inauguration, Democratic Attorneys General nationwide entered the public limelight because of their unprecedented collaboration in challenging the administration’s attempted unlawful activities – from the Muslim ban to attacks on reproductive rights. For more details on the incredible work done this past year and why it’s imperative we elect more Democratic Attorneys General in 2018, check out DAGA’s 2017 Year in Review Memo.

From bringing those outside of the political arena into the fold through partnerships with General Assembly to driving the 1881 Initiative to elect more Democratic women to the office of Attorney General with Emerge America, DAGA continues to prioritize innovation, data, communication, and relationship building as key elements to providing political and policy support to Democratic State Attorneys General and candidates. The work of DAGA empowers Democratic Attorneys General and candidates to focus on creating opportunities to help hard-working students and families, defending the rights of immigrants and their children, protecting access to affordable and quality healthcare, safeguarding environmental protections, promoting equality, and serving as the People’s lawyers.