Daniel Meuser

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., is shown at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Photo: Greg Bishop / The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A Democrat running in a ruby red congressional district outraised the Republican incumbent over the last three months as she enters the homestretch with a cash on hand advantage.

Rachel Wallace, a Democrat and former congressional staffer in the U.S. House and President Joe Biden’s budget office, raised just under $380,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September, according to campaign finance reports released on Thursday. U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, a Republican serving his fourth term in Congress, raised just under $220,000 during that same time period.

Meuser and Wallace posted similar fundraising totals in previous quarters, but this was the strongest three-month stretch for the Democratic challenger.

Throughout the entirety of the cycle, however, Meuser’s campaign has outraised Wallace. Since winning his most recent bid for reelection in 2024, Meuser’s campaign has raised $2.15 million. Wallace has raised $1.07 million since she declared her candidacy for the state’s 9th U.S. House seat in October 2025.

Wallace’s campaign enters the final weeks of the election cycle with more money in the bank. Her campaign began in October with just under $390,000 on hand. Meuser’s campaign had just over $135,000 at the beginning of the month, which is the lowest amount of any incumbent member of Congress seeking reelection in Pennsylvania this year.

At this point in the previous cycle, Meuser had a cash advantage over his Democratic challenger.

One month before coasting to a 40-point victory, Meuser’s campaign had just over $220,000 in the bank, while Democrat Amanda Waldman’s campaign had just over $10,000 on hand.

Meuser has spent more than Wallace throughout the 2026 campaign, although the Democrat has spent more over the last three months. From the beginning of July to the end of September, Wallace’s campaign spent just over $375,000, while Meuser’s campaign spent just under $255,000. Since entering the race one year ago, Wallace’s campaign has spent just under $690,000, while Meuser’s campaign has spent $2.15 million since late 2024.

Meuser cruised to victory in each of his four previous bids for the U.S. House. His closest race was in 2018 when he defeated Democrat Denny Wolff by 19 points in the previous boundaries of Pennsylvania’s 9th U.S. House District. He won by roughly 40 points in both of his recent bids for Congress under the current boundaries of the state’s 9th U.S. House District.

Meuser is viewed as the heavy favorite this year as well, according to a trio of national ratings outlets.

The Cook Political Report, describing the race as “solid Republican,” wrote earlier this year that Meuser “will cruise to reelection in this ruby red northeast Pennsylvania district, which Trump carried by a 38-point margin in 2024.”

Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Inside Elections also rate the race as solid Republican.

Meuser, an ally of Trump, is being backed by the president in the race over Wallace.

Despite the significant GOP registration advantage in the district, Democrats are aiming to put the race in play this cycle.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is supporting Wallace’s bid, has campaigned alongside her in the district this year and described it as the fifth flippable congressional seat for Democrats this year.