Incumbency has its advantages.
In the already heated race to oust Rep. Betsy Markey in Colorado's 4th Congressional District, Republicans are trailing far behind the freshman incumbent Democrat by six figures.
aflcio2008/Flickr
Union love: Markey with Colorado
AFL-CIO president Mike Cerbo
Markey's campaign has announced that it has raised over $342,000 in the first quarter of 2009, burying her only announced challenger, Republican CU Regent Tom Lucero, who took in $14,000 during this same period. Also trailing Markey was a political action committee supporting Fort Collins City Councilman Diggs Brown. While Brown serves in the U.S. Army on active duty in Africa, the group backing him took in $29,000 in Q1.
The "Draft Diggs" campaign had roughly $9,000 more in the bank than Lucero's camp as of March 31, a significant statement given Brown has not announced for the race during his time abroad.
Both Republican camps argue their fundraising numbers are signs of progress, but it's hard to put a positive spin on such a campaign funding disparity. Markey's significant cash advantage, coupled with the prospect of more entrants to the GOP primary race, mean Lucero will have to be more aggressive in proving his fundraising prowess. As the only officially announced Republican in the race (he announced before Markey was even sworn in), his campaign benefits from first-mover advantage in the contest. But he must now prove to Republican party fence-sitters he can leverage time into money, and quickly: state Rep. Cory Gardner, of Yuma, is widely expected to officially enter the field later this year.
"Our first fundraising effort wasn't until April 11," explains Lucero campaign manager Andrea Rasey. "We have been focused on building our infrastructure and getting our organization in place."
While quarter-end report tallies show the Diggs PAC ahead, Rasey says her camp brought in over $14,000 from a recent fundraising blitz featuring radio talker Hugh Hewitt. That would put Lucero ahead in cash on hand today, but still falling behind Markey if she keeps up her ferocious fundraising operation.
Brown's supporters, including PAC spokesman Andy Nikkel, are in essence running a placeholder campaign until the Army Green Beret returns stateside later this year. The committee is voluntarily abiding by lower candidate committee fundraising limits with an eye toward converting into a full-fledged campaign upon Brown's return. That is, if he chooses to run.
Despite that uncertainty, Brown's cheerleaders are taking on his potential opponents head-on, touting the first quarter numbers as a grassroots referendum. "Our candidate is 5,000 miles away - we're at a clear disadvantage and are able to raise double the amount in the first quarter," Nikkel said.
With Lucero, Gardner, Brown all presenting viable choices for the GOP nomination, we're likely to see fundraising numbers pick up late. Hopefully, the trio can avoid a primary to help the GOP pick up its fundraising pace against Markey and her union-funded war chest next year.
Markey, meanwhile, may suffer at the polls due to allegations of poor constituent service and her support of the unpopular "card check" legislation currently before Congress.