McCain Victory Fuels Influx of Funds
By Juliet Eilperin
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) cash-strapped campaign has received a significant influx of funds in the new year, according to his aides and supporters.
"We've raised in the first week of this month in excess of a million dollars," said McCain campaign manager Rick Davis, as McCain crossed Michigan in anticipation of the state's primary next week. "It's obviously significantly better than how we were doing last quarter.... It's been a gradual increase since the fall."
McCain, who must compete with the resources of both former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who is personally wealthy, and the insurgent campaign of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, is scrambling to capitalize on his first-place finish in New Hampshire yesterday and his recent rise in the polls. Last year, McCain took out a $3 million line of credit to help keep his operation going.
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), a McCain backer who raised $85,000 for the senator in two events last summer, estimated the campaign was collecting $100,000 a day from online donations.
During a rally in Grand Rapids, Sean Cummings, one of McCain's fundraisers in western Michigan, said he had received eight calls alone from donors in the 12 hours following McCain's New Hampshire win.
"These are people talking about maxing out," Cummings said, adding that several of the calls came from individuals who had been considering backing former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. "In the last 24 hours, things have been taking off."
Cummings added that he had challenged the fundraisers he oversees -- between 10 and 15 people -- to raise $9,000 each before McCain returns to the area on Monday. "I think it's pretty realistic," he said of the goal.
Posted at 2:19 PM ET on Jan 9, 2008
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Posted by: rat-the | January 9, 2008 3:29 PM
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Oh Gimme a Break!
McCain grabs his base with PORK! Look to the Military Industrialized base! What's a few Million, compared to Job Stability.
But Wake-Up call for the Unionized Patrons of McCain Care: As President, he can't allocate a Dime!
But, he could go Crazy and REALLY kick off DEMAND!