Money in the Senate Race
The campaign finance reports due in the U.S. Senate race today suggest that despite his lead in recent polls, Kweisi Mfume is still trailing badly in the race for campaign cash.
With barely two months to go to the Sept. 12 primary, Mfume had about $171,000 inn the bank on June 30, the report showed. That's far less than the $2.3 million left in U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin's coffers and less than the figures for Democrats Allan Lichtman and Dennis Rasmussen, who have distinctly lower profiles in this contest.
Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, the leading Republican candidate, will report raising more than $1.8.million in the quarter, his campaign said, finishing with more than $3.million in the bank.
Will money make a difference?
The relatively small sum for Mfume surprised political analysts, who had expected the former NAACP president's contributions to align more closely with his strong showing in recent polls. "It just doesn't seem to be materializing," said Matthew A. Crenson, a Johns Hopkins University political science professor. "He must be close to desperation right now."
Mfume's campaign took in $135,000, significantly less than it raised in the year's first quarter. . Cardin collected $925,000, falling just short of his first quarter total.
Mfume spokesman Mark Clack said the campaign has been building momentum and expects to report stronger numbers in the next quarter, which ends Sept..30. The campaign raised $45,000 one night this week at an event at the home of Washington power broker Vernon L. Jordan, Clack said.
"The last two weeks, the interest in the campaign and the contributions that are being made is pretty much indicative of a much stronger reporting period," he said. "We're pretty upbeat."
So is the Cardin camp. Spokesman Oren Shur said the wide lead in fundraising over Mfume is a sign that Democrats are familiar with Cardin's record and know that he is "the only candidate with the experience and campaign organization needed to defeat Steele in November."
In addition to the banked $2.3.million, Cardin spent $680,000 on a down payment to reserve television air time during the two weeks leading up to the Sept. 12 primary.
In the past year, Mfume and Cardin have emerged from the 18 Democratic candidates vying for the seat being vacated by Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D), with Cardin remaining a quiet but consistent front-runner in fundraising and early polls.
But a Washington Post poll last month June showed Mfume ahead by six points among registered voters, though roughly a third of the electorate had not settled on a candidate.
Analysts said Mfume's strong showing in the poll, despite his limited ability to advertise, suggests a certain resiliency in his campaign -- and, potentially, a vulnerability in Cardin's. "He's an apparently viable candidate who's able to get by without big money backing him," Crenson said.
Among the other Democrats, American University Professor Lichtman said yesterday that he would report $265,000 in the bank at the end of the quarter. Rasmussen, a former county executive in Baltimore County, had $280,000 on hand, his campaign said.
Josh Rales, a Montgomery County businessman and philanthropist, has pledged to spend millions of his own money on the race. A summary of his report was not available yesterday, a campaign spokeswoman said.
Green Party candidate Kevin Zeese, a Takoma Park political and social activist, reported raising nearly $12,200, ending the quarter with more than $16,000 on hand.
Clack, the Mfume spokesman, said he was unsure whether the campaign would be able to advertise in the Washington and Baltimore suburbs. Those areas are considered pivotal in the November general election, said Trevor Parry-Giles, an associate professor at the University of Maryland.
"That kind of money doesn't get you much at all," Parry-Giles, who has served as a creative consultant on hundreds of campaigns, said of Mfume's treasury. "He can maybe buy some TV time in Salisbury, but that's not where he should be trolling for votes."
Eric Rich
By Phyllis Jordan |
July 15, 2006; 9:24 AM ET
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Posted by: Robin Ficker Independent for Montgomery County Executive | July 15, 2006 12:53 PM
Wow, Robin. Very well put. The Post actually will tell you where the federal money comes from. It's hidden on links, to other links, with front slashes, and back slashes . . . :-).
The link below is to Cardin's money. He gets mosts of his money from BGE/Constellation. Anyone ever heard of that energy conglomerate? We can trust them. Otherwise, its pharmaceuticals, insurance industry, and private lobbyists. But that means nothing of course. He's been a part of the system for forty (40) years and would never sell himself at the expense of the people. His embarrasing votes on the Patriot Act, NAFTA, State teacher pension reform, and the funding of the War on Iraq are not indications that he'll just "go with the win." Oh yeah, when the polls tell him its ok to say it, he'll tell you how well he works with people from the "other side of the aisle." How's that for the democrats rallying cry!?!
See the list of top 25 Cardin purchasers below:
1. DLA Piper Rudnick et al $47,800
2. Constellation Energy $40,450
3. Gallagher, Evelius & Jones $21,650
4. Johns Hopkins University $19,850
5. MMA Financial $19,700
6. Legg Mason $18,150
7. Ernst & Young $14,253
8. Morgan Creek Productions $12,600
9. Patton Boggs LLP $12,350
10. Metropolitan Life $12,000
11. Goldman Sachs $11,750
12. Williams & Jensen $11,450
13. United Parcel Service $10,499
14. Teamsters Union $10,000
15. AmeriPAC: The Fund for a Greater America $10,000
16. Assn of Trial Lawyers of America $10,000
17. Bingham McCutchen LLP $10,000
18. UBS AG $10,000
19. United Transportation Union $10,000
20. FMR Corp $10,000
21. International Assn of Fire Fighters $10,000
22. National Assn of Letter Carriers $10,000
23. National Assn of Postmasters $10,000
24. Northrop Grumman $10,000
25. American Health Care Assn $10,000
Posted by: I have the most money | July 15, 2006 2:38 PM
Posted by: Link to cardin $ | July 15, 2006 2:46 PM
This last comment is ridiculous, and an awful spin on the truth of Cardin's fundraising. First, all of the corporations above are not donors to the campaign - it is illegal for corporations to donate directly to campaigns. They are the aggregation of INDIVIDUAL donors that are employed by those large Maryland companies. Second, Cardin has raised more money from individual Marylanders than any other candidate in the race. His record on the Patriot Act and NAFTA mirror many other prominent Democrats. We should be focusing on the positive campaign Cardin has run, the issues he defends, and the type of personal integrity he posesses. Cardin did not invent the fundraising game, and I'm sure he (and many other candidates) do not wish the success of a campaign to be so dependent on donations. But given the state of our electoral system, he has done his best to run a successful campaign in order to serve the people of Maryland. That should be lauded, not criticized.
Posted by: In response to inadequate commentary. | July 15, 2006 2:56 PM
Three things:
1. "In response," your comment is disingenuous to say the least. Corporations do donate, through their PACs, and have to Ben Cardin in prodigious amounts. Also, to think that top executives of companies don't donate in alignment with their personal and corporate interests is risible.
2. Why didn't the story point out that the poll came out after the end of the fundraising quarter?
3. According to published reports, the Mfume campaign has raised about as much in the last two weeks (since the poll came out) as it did all last quarter. Perhaps the egg does come after the chicken.
Posted by: sled | July 15, 2006 3:21 PM
Not to defend Cardin, since I'm a Steele supporter, but it needs to be pointed out that corporations do not contribute to candidates, not even through their political action committees. Individuals in those companies donate to political action committees, which then donate to candidates. No corporate money is involved in campaigns. It is all individual donations.
And "special interests" do not "buy" candidates. People donate to candidates with whom they agree. People do not donate to candidates to "buy" them. They support candidates who have a proven record of being on their side of issues. You do not change a politician's position by giving him money.
Posted by: MK | July 15, 2006 7:18 PM
MK:
There is a thing called an "ask." We support your campaign, and we "ask" for your support on specific issues once you are elected.
It isn't just a question of giving money to candidates where interests previously are aligned.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 16, 2006 12:33 AM
So essentially the Washington Post is saying Mfume's running a campaign that's far better then Ben Cardin's? I mean if he's got 1/10th of the money and beating Cardin in their latest poll....
Posted by: Bryan | July 16, 2006 3:42 PM
Certainly donors (and many others) ask elected officials to do things. Pretty much everyone who asks an elected official to do something believes that if that elected official does it, then the one doing the asking will benefit. There is nothing wrong with this. It's a basic right of our political system.
This certainly does not mean someone is "bought." As an NRA member, I am going to give my money to pro-gun candidates. The NRA Political Victory Fund (its PAC) will do the same. When that candidate gets elected, it should come as no surprise that I would ask the elected offical to oppose gun control legislation. The person ran as a pro-gun candidate, he raised money from pro-gun individuals because of that stance, so we should expect that he would live up to his word. It doesn't mean the candidate is voting that way because he took my money. That's ridiculous.
That's how campaign contributions work. It's not a matter of a politician being a mercenary going around offering his vote to the highest bidder. Sure, a few cases (Cunninham, Torricelli, et. al.) exist where politicians have done this. By and large, though, that is simply not the case. Conservatives support conservative candidates and expect them (and ask them) to vote accordingly. Same for liberals.
Posted by: MK | July 16, 2006 6:43 PM
Cardin's note use to real challenges and that much is evident...well that or he has hired an incomptent campaign staff. The fact that another candidate is running ahead or dead-even with him with 1/10th of his money should be downright embarassing to him. Especially when Hoyer, Miller, O'Malley and the rest of the liberal establishment are pulling so hard for him behind the scenes. Cardin's a a KKT reincarnation.
Posted by: Bryan | July 18, 2006 1:06 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
At least the Post has a consistent record of ranking candidates by how much money they have raised -- never mind where the money comes from and what strings are attached. I remember years ago when a Democratic challenger in Montgomery County held a fundraiser on the Hill, raised $l00,000, and the Post headline said he was, "Off to a Good Start," while the article never mentioned where the money came from.
Why should the views of the less than l% of the population that donates to political campaigns override the other 99%? The two legislative bodies in Washington are so controlled by special interests that all but about thirty House seats are considered "safe". In the Montgomery County Executive race, Neighbors for a Better Montgomery revealed its study that Mr. Leggett received 64% of his campaign funds from election year l994 to election year l998 from development interests. And he was on the county copuncil during that time. Didn't that amount to selling his office? The same study showed that Mr. Silverman had taken 70% of his funding from development interests. Didn't that amount to selling his office? How can these leopards change their spots? Isn't the source and control resulting from the contributions more important than the amount? I don't take money from developers. Isn't that fact more important than the larger amounts raised by Leggett and Silverman, perennial developer candidates? Mr. Rales is spending a great deal; however at least we know it is his money. Mr. Mfume doesn't have much money, but neither did Martin Luther King who had some interesting things to say and broad support.