McConnell Urges Republicans To Donate To Gomez

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is urging Republican donors to rally behind GOP U.S. Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez.

In an email sent out by the National Republican Senatorial Committee Friday, McConnell pledged to triple donors' gifts, up to $32,000.

"A Republican majority in the Senate begins with your support today," he wrote. "Securing a victory for Gabriel Gomez in the Massachusetts Senate special election on June 25th is crucial to taking back the Senate and removing [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid from power."

The national Republican Party is not a popular force in Massachusetts. And the Gomez campaign has tepidly welcomed McConnell's support in a public statement.

Democrats and their allies, meanwhile, have used the email to suggest Gomez would be just another vote for a conservative agenda in Washington.

The McConnell missive comes amid concerns inside the Gomez campaign and out that national Republicans are not doing enough to aid the GOP nominee.

The frustration is particularly pronounced since polls show Gomez within striking distance of his Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, in a deep blue state.

The chance for victory, Gomez supporters say, should entice donors.

On Thursday, Gomez campaign adviser Brad Todd voiced his frustration on Twitter: "Will mod[erate] R[epublican] donor class put its money where mouth is?," he tweeted. "Is this a party or therapy session?"

"GOPers have moped in sack cloth lab coats for 7 months," he wrote in another tweet. "Stop analyzing. Start winning. Get out of the Endless Post Mortem & help @GomezForMa."

Todd told The Boston Globe that the GOP has spent too much time licking its wounds from the presidential election last fall and not enough rallying behind Gomez.

As of April 10, according to federal filings, Gomez had about $500,000 in cash on hand. Markey had $4.6 million.