The National Republican Senatorial Committee raised $26 million in 2003, the largest hard-money haul in an off-year in the history of the organization.

“I am tremendously pleased with the level of support we have received from our wonderful friends around the country,” said NRSC Chairman George Allen (Va.). “With $8.6 million in the bank and, more importantly, no debt, we are well positioned to positively impact close races this year.”

The NRSC brought in roughly $2 million in December but was able to bank half that total.

At the end of 1999, the last off-year of a presidential cycle, the NRSC had raised $16 million in hard dollars, with $5.2 million of hard money in its campaign coffers.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has not yet released its fundraising totals for December, which must be postmarked to the Federal Election Commission by Jan. 31.

The DSCC had a less-than-impressive November, however, ending the month with just $731,000 on hand and more than $2.5 million in debt.

The Democratic committee will show more than $22 million raised for the year with $2.5 million in the bank in its year-end report, according to knowledgeable sources, and will have paid down a significant portion of its debt.

The DSCC has undergone significant staff shuffling in the past month.

Andy Grossman stepped down as the group’s executive director two weeks ago and was replaced by David Rudd, a former chief of staff to Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.). Rudd will also serve as interim finance director with the departure of Linda Rotunno, who left the committee to raise money for DSCC Chairman Jon Corzine’s (N.J.) leadership political action committee.

Late Friday, the DSCC announced that Ann Lewis, a former Clinton administration official, had been hired as deputy executive director.