Lois Capps is the holder of the 23rd District seat,, the oddest district ever constructed if I ever seen one.
Posted on 02/24/2005 8:12:06 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Doris Matsui, widow of the late Rep. Robert Matsui, reported Thursday that she raised nearly $700,000 in six weeks for the March 8 special primary election to replace her husband in Congress.
In fund-raisers held in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento since her husband's Jan. 1 death, Matsui tapped $691,867, including donations from congressional Democrats, political action committees and former Clinton administration officials.
The totals greatly overshadowed Matsui's opponents in the heavily Democratic 5th Congressional District race for the seat held for 26 years by her late husband, also a Sacramento Democrat.
Fellow Democrat Julie Padilla, a Sacramento activist, reported raising $29,293, while Republican John Thomas Flynn reported raising $20,698. Others among 12 candidates raised less than $5,000, the threshold for reporting contributions to the Federal Elections Commission.
Matsui spokesman Nick Papas cited an aggressive fund-raising campaign to "communicate her vision." Reports showed $346,000 raised from individuals and $297,000 from political action committees.
Robert T. Matsui, 63, died at Bethesda Naval Hospital from pneumonia brought on by a rare form of bone marrow disease. He was the third-ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee where he was the party's leader on Social Security legislation, including President Bush's plan to partially privatize the nation's retirement plan.
Among Matsui contributions were $2,000 from Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry; $1,000 from former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; $1,000 from Alice Rivlin, former director of the Clinton-era Office of Management and Budget; and $1,000 from former U.S. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt.
Doris Matsui, a former Clinton White House official and a Washington, D.C., lobbyist since 1998, received thousands of dollars from unions and trade groups, including $5,000 each from the American Hospital Association, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the American Medical Association. She also received $5,000 from the political action committee of her employer, the Washington law firm, Collier Shannon Scott, and $5,000 from EMILY's List, a national fund that supports women in politics.
Matsui received thousands more dollars in her hometown - including $16,000 from family members associated with AKT Development Corp., a firm that brought her into two real estate investments that more than doubled her $150,000 investment within two years.
Opponents have criticized Matsui over the deals, but Papas said Thursday that Matsui has support from hundreds of Sacramentans.
Fellow candidates also criticized her fund-raising totals.
"It leaves candidates beholden to wealthy interests instead of the general public," said Green Party candidate Pat Driscoll, a software developer.
"I compete with volunteers and real people on the street, not paid canvassers walking neighborhoods," said Democrat Padilla. "I'm forced to be a real candidate."
Several candidates criticized Matsui for avoiding candidate forums during the race.
One of the candidates must win more than 50 percent of the March 8 primary vote to automatically take office. A runoff is scheduled May 3, if necessary.
Doris Matsui could become California's third congressional spouse in recent history to assume her late husband's seat and the 45th nationally since 1923. During 1998 special elections, voters chose Santa Barbara-area Democrat Lois Capps and Palm Springs Republican Mary Bono to succeed their late husbands in Congress.
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On the Net:
Federal Elections Commission: http://www.fec.gov
It's called "pay to play".
Judging from the ads I have seen, her vision seems to be to scare old people to death about Social Security.
WOW, almost makes it look like she's gonna win just with having a fat wallet.
Lois Capps is the holder of the 23rd District seat,, the oddest district ever constructed if I ever seen one.
shes getting campaign advice from jean carnahan
Nancy 2PAC Pelosi gave her a hearty endorsement, and has a seat all ready for her on the House Rules Committee.
On a positive note, however, her district will soon wash away and fall into the chilly grip of the Pacific.
nancy pelosi....ugh...listening to that woman makes you wanna tear your ears off .
Her district is prime real estate in the sacramento area. lots of developers and politico types and lobbyists live there, she is a lobbyist and has been for years.
Let's make the Democrats throw $700,000 down the drain and then have to commit even more resources to a runoff!!
And whether you support Flynn, another Republican or that bailbondsman, Leonard Padilla (right-leaning independent), please give them your financial support so we can fight back against "The Widow Matsui" and all the Democrat powerbrokers who are backing her.
Conservative High School Blog Endorses Flynn
Flynn for Congress
The California High School Conservative Blog is endorsing John Thomas Flynn for the California 5th Congressional Seat Special election.
Flynn has served in both Sacramento and in Washington. He served as the director of the Federal Regional council under President Ronald Reagan. In 1994 Flynn was appointed as chief Information Officer for The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The next year he was appointed to the same role in California by Governor Pete Wilson.
Flynn has the values that we need during these times. He stands firmly behind President Bush in the prosecution of the War on Terror. He supports the President's vision for Iraq and believes that pulling out prematurely would be disastrous.
Flynn also agrees that we must refine Social Security to save it from a future crisis. He is a promoter of the president's plan that would allow younger workers to invest a small portion of their payroll taxes in a private account. Flynn will work to make sure that the retirement of generations of future Americans is secure for decades to come.
Flynn also shows a willingness to deal with the issue of illegal immigration. So many from both sides of the aisle push this issue aside-but not Flynn. He states on his website that one of his top issues is dealing with the flood of illegals pouring into this nation.
John Thomas Flynn deserves your vote on March 8
It doesn't sound like she has any vision except being another Clinton person embedded into government some place.
Maybe the best idea is to let Clinton be the head of the UN -- only on the condition that it move to Sumatra first!
Then Matsui can be a Congresswoman from Sumatra to the UN. It would be perfect, and we would be rid of them all.
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