Arkansas Politics

Blanche Lincoln Is Raising Insane Amounts of Money

Blanche Lincoln is Raising Ridiculous Amounts of MoneyDemocratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln, up for re-election in 2010, just announced her fundraising totals for the second quarter of this year, and I think the words you were looking for were “Holy Cow.” Message from campaign manager Steve Patterson is as follows:

During the quarter, the campaign raised $1,270,667. Individuals accounted for 56 percent of total contributions for the quarter.  The campaign reported cash on hand as of 6/30/2009 at $3,201,745.  Since the beginning of the election cycle, January 1, 2009, Senator Lincoln’s campaign has raised $2,993,149.

To put this into context, once again: The last big money statewide race in Arkansas was between Democrat Mike Beebe and Republican Asa Hutchinson (I worked for Asa). That race cost about $10 million, at the time the most expensive in Arkansas history. Beebe raised a little over $6 million for the whole race. Lincoln right now has raised half of what Beebe raised in that entire cycle—and this is the off-year, with 16 months to go.

(And again, for our out of state readers: Lincoln’s fundraising totals probably won’t make your eyes pop if you’re accustomed to the financial demands of campaigning in larger states with lots of expensive media markets—but they’re big numbers for Arkansas, especially this early in the race.)

Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee and the Obama administration are trying to put some heat on Lincoln to keep her on the reservation for health care legislation. The Tolbert Report and the K. Ryan James blog have more on that front, with video.

Please follow and like us:

7 thoughts on “Blanche Lincoln Is Raising Insane Amounts of Money

  • I remember that one month ASA! out raised Mike Jr.

    Reply
  • SouthArkie

    What you should be reporting is all the lobbyist money she is taking, the same money that goes directly against the wishes of the citizens in Arkansas. Her fundraiser in the downtown Little Rock Union building might be fine with taking that liberal-lobbyist money from union bosses and Obama fundraisers but the voters will judge her differently… you don’t believe me, go to opensecrets.org to search her finance records….

    Reply
  • David Kinkade

    True enough, Southarkie, but it all spends the same when it comes time for the TV advertising blitz.
    D.

    Reply
  • AKA Bryce

    Actually it was 2 months. Beebe canceled some ad time one month to stay out in front. We also raised more money that any Arkansas republican ever, including Mike Huckabee.

    Reply
  • John Sanson

    I took the time to look at opensecrets.org at Senator Lincoln’s finances as SouthArkie suggested. It looks as if Senator Lincoln has only recieved $159,000 from lobbyist out of $3,311,812 they reported she raised between her Campaign Cmte and PAC. This is about 4% of the total funds. It dosen’t specify which groups gave, but I’m sure that some of the lobbyist that donated support issues that Senator Lincoln has always supported. As for the “union bosses” I hope they didn’t donate too much because she is not supporting their big issue,the EFCA (Employee free choice act).

    Reply
  • John, that is just scraping the surface of how campaign funding works. Every person who works for the PAC can donate the max, every person who works for whatever corporation can donate the max, every person who works for the professional organization which supports the candidate, can donate the max. It goes on and on, about 10 layers deep, so when you only look at the top layer or two, it is deceiving. Check out the video link on ourcaucus-ar.com

    Reply
  • John Sanson

    Well Susie, i was just addressing the lobbyist and unions that SouthArkie was talking about. You are right though individual people can donate to whoever they like up to the max. I don’t think that was ever in dispute. Any individual in the U.S. can donate up to the max no matter where they work. Don’t you think that the people who spend thier time working with a PAC or a group that supports a candidate would want to donate on a personal level. This doesn’t prove there there is some big web of deception.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Susie Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Arkansas Project