Here are the numbers, direct from our friends at the FEC.John Callahan:
Total through 4/28/10: $1,133,067.11. Recent, 48-hour reports, indicate a last-minute surge of $10,500 more as of Sunday night. Callahan's 5/9/10 total is $1,143,567.
Charlie Dent:
Total through 4/28/10: $1,380,966.00. Recent, 48-hour reports, indicate a last minute surge of $19,400 more as of Sunday night. Dent's 5/9/10 total is $1,400,366.
Matt Benol:
No report online.
That high-priced fundraiser with the VEEP at the exclusive Blue was supposed to net Callahan a nice profit in April, but he actually lost money. He raised $75,000, but spent $89,900.
He has six people on the payroll, including four people from California, Missouri, Florida and Virginia. Dent has four staffers, all of them local.
“He must be running out of city vendors and others with city business interests from whom he can solicit campaign contributions,” claimed Dent campaign manager Shawn Millan in a Friday news release. “We said John Callahan’s campaign had peaked before last quarter, and this shows it. His support for the Pelosi-Reid health care bill – which he only reluctantly announced after the fact – and his complete lack of any other ideas and issues are catching up with the hype.”
Callahan's Florida campaign manager, Justin Schall, huffs this is just a $35,000 difference and that Dent should start addressing real issues, just like Callahan did when he announced his support for the health care overhaul ... the day after it passed. Seems like a $257,000 difference to me, and if the 48-hour reports are any indication, that disparity is getting bigger every day.
I know the figures are to sound impressive,and I know the reality of modern campaigns. However, to an average Joe Schmoe like me it sounds disgusting. Here we are six months from the election and already $2.5 million dollars raised for a $174,000 job. Multiply that by the 435 members running for the US House equals over $1billion. Add to that the $billion plus raised for the last presidential raise, let alone the Senate races....billions spent so we can go trillions into debt. Sorry, but there is a cynical side of me that just wonders what could be done with all that money to improve society other than paying for campaigns.
ReplyDelete"That high-priced fundraiser with the VEEP at the exclusive Blue was supposed to net Callahan a nice profit in April, but he actually lost money. He raised $75,000, but spent $89,900."
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this event showcase how Callahan would handle "our" money? If he can't even host a fund raiser that raises funds, how will he ever help lower taxes, find taxpayers jobs, control spending, help the environment, and curb unbridled loss of open space?
Callahan doesn't need more money than dent. He just needs enough to win. he will have enough.
ReplyDeleteCallahan doesn't need more money than dent. He just needs enough to win. he will have enough.
ReplyDeleteMost of the tickets sold for the VEEP event were credited in March...so don't read too much into this.
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:27,I don't think that says much considering Callahan got outraised in the first quarter as well. If the event was such a success and all the money was in March, then that makes his first quarter even less impressive.
ReplyDeletecan't wait for the Lehigh Valley "Independent" spin on this
ReplyDeleteBenol has campaign signs and his F/B page thanks people for their contributions. Where is his report?
ReplyDeleteBenol is probably taking the Citizen's United decision to the next level: not only is it okay for corporations to spend uncontrolled on campaigns, but reporting my contributions infringes on my constitutional rights. Only socialists want to know how much money is being spent on my campaign. It won't be long before Dent likes the idea and runs with it.
ReplyDeleteI realize you're jusy joking, but a big point in Citizens United is disclosure. Even the Roberts' Court will support that. Disclosure does little good if we don't find out who is funding a campaign until after the election.
ReplyDeleteHow much must one raise before required to report? Is their a minimum?
ReplyDeleteOnce you raise $5k, the reporting requirements are triggered. Benol filed his statement of organization very recently, so i believe he has crossed that threshold.
ReplyDelete"Disclosure does little good if we don't find out who is funding a campaign until after the election."
ReplyDeleteSocialist. Stop being a tyrant and infringing on my God-Given Constitutional Rights. You and Nancy Pelosi want to take my rights and silence me. What I do with my money is my own business.
McCain lived (and died, actually) by the public funding constraints of McCain-Feingold.
ReplyDeleteObama said he'd do the same. Then he lied and spent more untraceable money than ever spent on any election in human history.
He said it was everybody's right to know where the money came from, until his own money needed explaining.
Obama was so far ahead of the SCOTUS decision he's laughing all the way to George Soro's bank.
12:31,
ReplyDeleteThis is Obama's America now.
Your money is not your money.
Spread the wealth.
BILL AYERS
Dear Bill,
ReplyDeleteYou Socialists are all the same: take my money and prevent me from buying the government I want. It's my money: I should be able to buy all the votes from my Congressman as I want. I don't need some Muslim who was born in Africa telling me what to do.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go yell about Socialism and then cash my Social Security check at the bank in my FDIC backed account. Stupid socialists and their government control.
3:10,
ReplyDeleteYou can't prove Obama is a Muslim.
You can't prove Obama was born in Africa.
Obama won and it doesn't matter if ACORN is now out of business.
Cash your check and get over it already.
BILL AYERS
And this is exactly the problem ... we are all worried about the money instead of the ideas. Reform and, dare I say it, publicly funded elections, are the only way to fix the problems.
ReplyDeleteInstead of talking about the money race, why don't we talk about Dent's attempt to become Sen. Lieberman and revoke citizenship to terrorists. (But not the white guys like the Michigan Militia, or the women like "Jihad Jane"only the brown-skinned guys ... because white Christians don't commit terrorism).
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/elections/all-mc-dc-dent-terror2.72659312may07,0,5089913.story
Ironically, whenever I discuss one issue concerning Dent, somebody always wants to change the subject and talk about something else. When I talk about that, they change the subject and want to talk about something else.
ReplyDeleteBig deal -- why shouldn't Dent grab more money than Callahan --- he is an INCUMBENT who ues tax dollars for his stupid robo calls. The real story is that Callahan has raised more money already, than any other Democratic opponent for Dent. And that says something HUGE. I mean really, how much money does one need to get their message out in the Lehigh Valley. Callahan is using good ole grass roots campaigning. He is all over. I see him at every evetn and more importantly he is genuinely nice. Dent trys to speak to people and comes off standoffish and unapproachable.
ReplyDeleteMy Republican vote is going to Callahan in November. I am completely tired of the Republican party and what they have done to this country with eight years of Bush the Second! Obama's [programs are starting to change the country for the better. Even the TARP money is being paid back.
Go get him John - your money and grass-roots efforts will win you this election.
Anon 5:19, I will call bs on your entire post (especially the Republican part). To demonstrate your complete lack of understanding, TARP was a Bush program, not an Obama program. Obama owns the government stimulus program, cash for clunkers, and cash for caulkers.All bills which have been huge wastes of taxpayer dollars.
ReplyDeleteIronically, Dent voted for TARP so this anon was complimenting him without knowing it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of money to spend just to avoid having your family on private health insurance.
ReplyDeleteA Repub who gets all of his money from PACs out-raised a local Democratic mayor? Stop the presses.
ReplyDelete12:31,
ReplyDeleteThis is Obama's America now.
Your money is not your money.
Spread the wealth.
BILL AYERS
A bit harsh but this has been America's virtue since the great depression. We're all in this together. Well, at least those of us who aren't constantly complaining about everything.
"Cash for Clunkers" was a huge waste of money? I think you ought to revisit that program and it's effect on Ford in particular.
ReplyDelete"and it's effect on Ford in particular"
ReplyDeleteIts effect on Ford paled in comparison to its effect on foreign auto companies. No one disputes that the ultimate effect of this legislation was that it cost taxpayers significantly, with minimal return.
"We're all in this together"
ReplyDeleteWhatever you say, Comrade.
So everyone for themselves? Remember that when you are old and drooling, broke from your disastrous 401k, and no one gives a rat's ass about you.
ReplyDeleteCash for Clunkers was a waste of money? For one thing, it traded out a significant number or inefficient vehicles. Another is that it kept many dealers in business at a time when credit was puckered up. Thirdly, it induced a significant infusion of cash into a system which was stagnant. But I understand hindsight can be easily rewritten.