GOP will be Targeting Seven Senate seats for the Midterm Elections

Vulnerable Senate Democrats have amassed sizable war chests to fend off their Republican challengers this fall, but several GOP rivals are closing the gap, outraising Democrats in the final stretch of last year, new figures show.

In their effort to win control of the Senate, Republicans are targeting seven seats held by Democrats in states that President Barack Obama lost in 2012. A Wall Street Journal analysis of the latest campaign filings shows that may not be easy. The four "red-state Democrats"—Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Begich of Alaska—all have more money in the bank than their likely rivals. In a testament to the power of incumbency, the four senators collectively have $20.2 million in the bank, compared with $8.5 million for their probable Republican challengers.

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"They're going to be well funded," said Jennifer Duffy, senior editor at the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter that analyzes elections. 

Even so, those Democrats are facing some formidable political headwinds this year. Historically, by the sixth year of a presidency, the party in the White House has often run into difficulties. This time, Democrats must contend with Mr. Obama's declining approval ratings and anger over the rocky rollout of his health-care law. Conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity have already spent millions of dollars running ads in those states trying to tie Democratic senators to their votes for the law. 

Republican candidates are doing better in the targeted states where there isn't an incumbent. In the fourth quarter, Republicans outraised Democrats in all three open races in states Mr. Obama lost in 2012: West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana. Collectively, Republicans in those three states have $6.8 million in the bank, compared with the Democrats' $1.3 million. With more than 10 months to go until Election Day, it is still early in the race and things can change as November nears. The deadline for entering the race hasn't passed in many states, so the field is still taking shape.

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