Inside Recent Political Fundraising Reports: Kilroy Still In Great Shape

This greatly helps Mary Jo Kilroy...the story behind the story...."At the start of June, the Republican Party committees had $30.2 million on hand for House and Senate races compared with $46.2 million for Democrats."

clipped from www.washingtonpost.com By T.W. Farnam and Aaron Blake Washington Post Staff Writers Saturday, July 17, 2010 In a reversal of fortune, Republican candidates for key House and Senate races raised more money than Democrats in the second quarter of this year, according to financial reports filed late Thursday night. The reports show that Republicans will have the money to compete in the fall elections, coming back from a severe shortage during the last election cycle. However, Democrats still have significantly more money in the bank than Republicans. Republican House candidates raised $86.4 million last quarter, an increase of 25 percent over the first three months of the year. Democrats running for the House were able to close some of the gap from the first quarter, increasing their totals by 30 percent to $78.7 million. During the second quarter of the 2008 election year, Democratic House candidates raised 27 percent more than Republicans. This time, the GOP has brought in 10 percent more than Democrats. For the Senate, Republicans out-raised Democrats in all but one of the 13 races to fill seats left open by retirements or primaries. In Ohio, former George W. Bush Cabinet official Rob Portman raised $2.7 million compared with Democratic Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher's $1 million. In Missouri, Rep. Roy Blunt raised $2.2 million compared with Democrat Robin Carnahan's $1.5 million. And in Pennsylvania, former representative Pat Toomey (R) raised $3.1 million compared with Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak's $2 million. Most threatened Democratic senators -- including Patty Murray (Wash.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Russ Feingold (Wis.) -- were able to raise much more than their Republican challengers. In Nevada, however, "tea party" favorite Sharron Angle raised $2.6 million, slightly more than the $2.4 million Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid brought in. Still, Reid has far more money available for the election. He has about $9 million in the bank; Angle has just $1.8 million. Other Democrats have built similar cash reserves that give them an advantage despite recent GOP fundraising gains. Democrats in the House have $259.9 million compared with $173.7 million for the GOP. The Democratic Party committees focused on congressional races have fallen behind their blockbuster totals from the previous cycle, but still remain ahead of the Republicans. At the start of June, the Republican Party committees had $30.2 million on hand for House and Senate races compared with $46.2 million for Democrats. The volatile political environment and anger at both parties have put as many as 15 Senate seats in play, forcing party leaders to spend their money carefully. Democrats have a significant cash advantage in California, where statewide campaigns are very costly. Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer raised $4.6 million, the most money of any candidate, and has $11.3 million in the bank compared to less than $1 million for Republican Carly Fiorina, a former Hewlett-Packard chief executive. Democrats are hoping they don't have to use party resources to shore up Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut attorney general facing businesswoman Linda McMahon, who has already spent $21.5 million of her own money in the race. The top fundraiser for a House race last quarter was Republican Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who raised $1.7 million. Her opponent, Minnesota lawyer Tarryl Clark, raised the second-highest total among Democrats, $912,000. Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Critz brought in $1.1 million in the quarter while winning a special election. Former Army officer Allen West, a Florida Republican running against incumbent Democrat Ron Klein, had the second-highest total among House candidates, $1.4 million. West raised more than twice as much as Klein, who is one of the strongest fundraisers in the House. Republicans point to West as one of 23 Republican House challengers who raised more than the Democratic incumbents they face. In Columbus, Ohio, Republican Steve Stivers raised $588,000, more than double current Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy. In southern Indiana, Republican prosecutor Todd Young raised $386,000 compared to incumbent Rep. Baron Hill's $296,000. It's unlikely that Democrats will lose seats due to lack of funds, however. More than 50 targeted Democratic incumbents had over $1 million in the bank, and only eight Republican challengers had that much. "Republicans don't have to match Democratic spending," said Nathan Gonzales, an analyst with the Rothenberg Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter. "They just have to have enough to get their message out."

clipped from www.dispatchpolitics.com Election finances Local GOP congressional candidates outraise opponents Stivers, Tiberi gain big financial edge against Democrats Friday, July 16, 2010 02:52 AM By Jack Torry and Catherine Candisky THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH WASHINGTON - Republican Steve Stivers raised more than twice as much campaign money as Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy during the second quarter of the year, giving him a major financial a advantage in the final months of their hotly contested campaign. By collecting $587,376 in the three months ending June 30, Stivers, a former state senator, now has $1.24 million in the bank compared with $933,626 for Kilroy, a first-term Democratic lawmaker. She raised $229,955 in the second quarter. Kilroy has been targeted by national Republicans in what is expected to be one of the most-spirited races in the country. The Columbus lawmaker narrowly defeated Stivers in 2008 to win the seat, which includes large parts of Franklin County as well as all of Madison and Union counties. In what also could be a close race in the 12th district, Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township, reported having more than $1.9 million on hand to spend in his bid for a sixth term in Congress. Tiberi raised $560,000 during the three-month period that ended June 30. His Democratic opponent, Paula Brooks, a two-term Franklin County commissioner, reported $680,000 on hand after raising $320,000 during the second quarter. They are competing for a congressional district that includes northern and eastern Franklin County, western Licking County, and all of Delaware County. According to Tiberi's report, more than half of his contributions this quarter, about $300,000, came from political-action committees. He took $3,500 from the Mortgage Bankers Association, $2,500 from Huntington Bancshares Inc., $2,000 from PNC Bank and $1,000 each from American Express and Bank of America. The 12th Congressional District is among a handful of districts currently targeted by national Democrats, and several liberal-leaning groups already have run ads targeting Tiberi. Rep. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, who is heavily favored to win re-election, reported $306,082 in the bank. Austria said he raised $96,063 during the three-month period. He spent $51,813 during those same three months. Austria, a first-term lawmaker who won 58 percent of the vote in 2008, raised a large chunk of his campaign cash in the second quarter from PACs organized by well-known U.S. companies. He accepted $1,000 each from Boeing Aircraft, Exxon-Mobile, Eastman-Kodak and Halliburton, a Houston energy company whose chairman from 1995 to 2000 was former Vice President Dick Cheney. Austria's Democratic opponent, Bill Conner of Beavercreek, had not filed a report with the elections commission as of yesterday. Reports were due at midnight last night, which means some were unavailable. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, declined to make public his report, with a spokeswoman saying, "The report will be submitted this evening and will be available on the FEC website by the first of next week." State Sen. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, reported loaning his campaign $30,000 to give him a $209,534 balance. He raised $209,967 in the second quarter for his battle in the 18th Congressional District against Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, whose report was not available yesterday.