Democratic leaders and candidates have spent the summer courting wealthy donors on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, two Massachusetts vacation islands that have become a fixture of the party’s fundraising calendar as it works to close a financial gap with Republicans before the November midterms.
Federal filings show that as of June 30, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had roughly $136 million in combined cash on hand. Their Republican counterparts held about $277 million.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, and Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., were among those who made fundraising appearances on Nantucket this summer. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., reportedly traveled to the island for an Aug. 29 fundraiser hosted by Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, a Biden-appointed ambassador to Brazil who also served as ambassador to Portugal under President Bill Clinton, according to the Boston Globe.
Donors Frank Herron and Sandra Urie, who previously hosted then-first lady Jill Biden for a 2022 DNC fundraiser at their Nantucket home, held a fundraising brunch for Moulton on Aug. 2, Nantucket Current reported.
Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for the open Senate seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, was seen on Nantucket while the Iowa State Fair was still underway. Turek had appeared at the fair earlier that week and did not respond to a reporter’s questions about the fundraising trip, according to videos posted on social media.
Martha’s Vineyard Draws National Figures
The circuit extends to neighboring Martha’s Vineyard. Former President Barack Obama attended an Aug. 31 event on the island hosted by former Attorney General Eric Holder to benefit the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which is targeting battleground states including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, seen as a possible 2028 presidential contender, appeared at a DNC fundraiser on Martha’s Vineyard the weekend of Aug. 8 alongside DNC Chair Ken Martin. The Maryland GOP criticized the trip at the time, stating: “Where was Wes Moore last weekend? Not campaigning in Maryland or solving our problems in Annapolis, but speaking at a national Democrat event in Martha’s Vineyard. Wes Moore’s priority isn’t Maryland, and it will never be Maryland. His only focus is growing his national profile and running for President in 2028. Elect Dan Cox for a Governor who will put Maryland and the needs of Marylanders first.”
Michelle Obama also visited the island on Aug. 23, though not for fundraising. She held two sold-out conversations at the Performing Arts Center in Oak Bluffs to promote her book, “The Look.” The Obamas have owned a vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard since 2019.
A Long History of Island Fundraising
Nantucket has drawn prominent Democrats, celebrities and wealthy patrons for decades. Former President Joe Biden and his family have traveled there for Thanksgiving for years, and former first lady Jill Biden visited the island in July to promote her memoir, “View From the East Wing.”
Republicans have tapped the same donor networks in years past. In 2022, then-Senate candidate JD Vance appeared on Nantucket alongside Florida Sen. Rick Scott and fellow Senate candidates Ted Budd, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker for a fundraising trip of their own.
