|
Posted: March 24, 2008
MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL POLITICS, PART II
Got money? No one gets elected without it. Here is a
summary of the state of the financial state of
legislative candidates in key races.
Office |
Democrat |
Balance |
Republican |
Balance |
What counts |
10th Senate |
Bethany Hall-Long |
$11,605 |
Steve Amick |
$7,493 |
Amick has been warned for
years he could get a real challenger, and this
could be it. If Rep. Hall-Long runs, the cost is
sure to skyrocket |
16th Senate |
Harold Stafford |
$2,153 |
Colin Bonini |
$1,343 |
In what was supposed to be
a showcase race between Bonini and a labor
ex-secretary, the money doesn't indicate it.
Advantage to Bonini |
17th Senate |
Brian Bushweller |
$24,191 |
Jim Hutchison |
0 |
Retiring Sen. John Still
and Bushweller combined to spend $250K in '04. A
new battle royale between Bushweller and Hutch
probably won't get any cheaper |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th Rep |
Bryon Short |
$17,770 |
Jim Bowers |
$35,966 |
Look at those dollars.
This isn't just a rematch of the '07 special
election, it's a cage match |
9th Rep |
Rebecca Walker |
$2,220 |
Dick Cathcart |
$10,905 |
Walker came within 600
votes in '06 but did no fund raising in '07. A
shortfall on money translates into another
shortfall on votes |
18th Rep |
Mike Barbieri |
$269 |
Terry Spence |
$1,699 |
Call the speaker "Soft
Touch Spence," who collected $28K in '07 and
blew it all. Not a problem because his '06
opponent frittered the year away, too |
24th Rep |
|
|
Bill Oberle |
$1,101 |
Oberle took zero donations
and spent down his account. Is he running or
isn't he? |
27th Rep |
Earl Jaques |
$2,713 |
Vince Lofink |
$9,098 |
The money that matters in
this race is the $1.2 mil Lofink's son took from
the state. Will the voters make Lofink pay? |
28th Rep |
Bill Carson |
$7,090 |
Christine Malec |
$3,394 |
Malec will need a lot more
if she is to turn the tables on Carson, who
defeated her 2-1 in an '07 special election |
29th Rep |
Trey Paradee |
$2,859 |
Pam Thornburg |
$12,047 |
Thornburg has a solid down
payment for a firewall against Paradee, who is
banking on his roots in a Kent County Democratic
family |
31st Rep |
Darryl Scott |
$10,209 |
Nancy Wagner |
$21,705 |
Under threat, Wagner will
need every cent she can get to defend herself
from attacks of double dipping and nepotism |
32nd Rep |
Brad Bennett |
$23,207 |
Donna Stone |
$26,552 |
The comparable bankrolls
show Bennett is serious about trying to oust
Stone from the seat his dad once had |
41st Rep |
John Atkins |
$6,257 |
Greg Hastings |
$14,274 |
Atkins changed parties to
run. Now the voters have to decide if he changed
his life enough to earn his seat back |
Source: Campaign finance reports as of Dec.
31. Incumbents are highlighted
RETURN TO COVER PAGE
###
|