GOP Gets Swamped in Money Hunt (the price of having RINO frontrunners)

The Politico ^ | 4/4/07 | Jeanne Cummings

[Ol' Sparky]

GOP Gets Swamped in Money Hunt

By: Jeanne Cummings

April 4, 2007 08:34 PM EST

In the much-watched first quarter of presidential fundraising, the Democratic candidates raised significantly more than their Republican counterparts, creating a huge gap that is putting added pressure on a party already struggling to regroup after the November elections.

According to preliminary fundraising numbers released by the campaigns this week, the combined Democratic field raised about $80 million, compared with roughly $50 million collected by their GOP adversaries.

In 1999, the last presidential race without an incumbent in the race, Republicans raised $33 million in the first quarter, compared with $13 million by the Democrats, according to the Campaign Finance Institute. The disparity was also evident in 1988, when the Republican field reported $19 million in first-quarter fundraising, compared with $3 million by the Democrats.

“It’s a big gap. It’s huge,” said one Republican insider who asked for anonymity so he could speak frankly. “We don’t need to close it in the second quarter, but we need to close it by the end of the year.”

[WTSand]

What I can’t understand. Why would any conservative give one thin dime to the Republicans? Right now the candidates are nothing but liberal lites.

[no dems]

All mail I get from the RNC is thrown into the trash without being opened.

[Dark Wing]

fyi

[US_MilitaryRules]

The rnc called for some dough and I told the guy that when the republicans find their balls I’ll donate!

[Antoninus]

Time has already “told”

Funny, a single vote won't be cast for another 10 months. Talk to me in December of 2007. BTW, John French Kerry was running at 4% in December of 2003--just for your reference.

[MikeA]

Oh spare us your nonsense and your mindless threats. The vast majority of the GOP supports those candidates you call RINOs as the polls show, while the no-named nobodys you minority faction fanatics support like the growler-in-chief Duncan Hunter pull in no money and even less support in the polls. If this is a result of “RINOs” running, then why aren’t the “non RINOs” like Hunter pulling in any money, indeed far less than the “RINOs?”

No, this is simply a function of the fact that the Democratic primary is turning out to be the most fearsomely competitive as well as Hillary being a fundraising monster. The simple fact is there are not sharply divided lines between the GOP primary candidates as there are between Hillary and Obama which is turning out to be where the real fight is going to be, not on the GOP side.

In addition, Democrats are in obsessive partisanship mode right now while GOP donors are just biding their time. Wait until the general election when Democratic donors have been bled dry. That’s when GOP donors will really open their wallets to keep the hag (Hillary) or the hack (Obama) out of the White House.

[no dems]

Why would any conservative give one thin dime to the Republicans?

They're not. I'm afraid that the GOP is in for a big split that will give the White House and Congress to the Dems for 8-12 more years.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

It’s a long time until the primaries.

[Pukin Dog]

Your point is kind of stupid, seeing as Romney raised more primary money than anyone. Romney and Rudy equals Clinton and Obama, so you would have to reason (as if you Hunter folks could do that) that its the appointed Conservatives dragging down the money hunt.

[Antoninus]

Hunter is the kind of guy who will not win a national election given his inability to shake the money tree but his profile will increase and he could certianly help the party shift more rightward. Not what you want to hear but it’s a noble calling.

Duncan Hunter is a tough campaigner and knows about running an underdog campaign. I think he will make the most of his moments in the coming months. Whether that will be enough to propel him to national prominence is another story.

He's easily the best man for the job out of the gents we have running and as far as I'm concerned, that's all that matters.

[razorback-bert]

Could it be because every RNC fundraising letter I get goes directly into the shredder unopened.

[Route66]

I’m saving my money for Fred. When he announces, I think he will quickly raise more money than all of them.

[EagleUSA]

The rnc called for some dough and I told the guy that when the republicans find their balls I’ll donate!

---

The problem is much bigger than the just the RNC, which is a total failure at conservative principle, fight and leadership. Washington, as a whole, stopped working FOR THE AMERICAN CITIZEN and totally ignored the reason they have been put there to begin with and the public has not held them responsible in a firm manner. Mixed with this is the element of socialism which tragically, a large percentage of the American public, has found attractive — and they have been willing to compromise American principles to get something for nothing, the basic foundation of the liberal opportunists who, fueled by their own lust for power, have been giving America away for that power.

Yes, the Repubs, if there is ever to be a real America again, with a respectable government that is truly working as a government FOR AND BY THE PEOPLE, will have to be cleaned out and reformed by people who care. Having said that, it means that America is going to have to hit bottom real hard, before the people wake up and demand a government that again works for the people and America as the Constitutional republic it is supposed to be.

2008 will be the start a real hard time for America but maybe it has to happen.

[staytrue]

The Republican base doesn't want to give money to the RINO frontrunners

So what is the combined total of the fundraising for the true conservatives Hunter, Tancredo, Paul and Thompson ?

[tsowellfan]

A republican PR machine seems non-existant. Pelosi & co and the Iranian President seem to have a free ticket. I thought by now the Condi Rice would be publically all over Pelosi for taking US foreign policy into her own hands.

[tsowellfan]

I dont think Thompson is running. Atleast not yet. Same with Tancredo (unless he just jumped into the race a few days ago).

[Young Scholar]

Unlikely. The big Republican donors—pro-business fiscal conservatives—are not likely to rally behind Hunter.

[oldbill]

We got Republicans in the Senate , including the leader, reneging on the fence.

We got Republicans in cahoots with Dem contributors like Gates and Ellison planning on unlimited guest and H1 visas.

We got the President saying that he now wants amnesty and citizenship for every illegal, not just “those who have been here a long time”.

We got Republicans in the Senate voting with the Democrats on the war funding.

We got a front-runner fighting for unlimited government-funded abortion and gun control.

We got an RNC chairman saying that we need open borders and amnesty.

And now they want our money. Let the RNC and the current caandidates get their money from Gates and the Wall Street Journal and the Chamber of Commerce.

[nowandlater]

We’re in serious trouble. Money is not the only thing. 50% of the public are declaring themselves Democrats. While at the same time Republican registration has fallen nationwide to near anemic levels to 35%. Also 3/4 of Independents are now stating they see themselves aligning with Dem policies. We are in serious trouble for 2008.

For these reasons, even though I a Mitt supporter, I want anyone and everyone (Fred and Newt please get in ASAP) who can generate excitement and buzz in this race. We need to give the independents someone to get excited about or we are in for an even worse defeat in 2008.

[dusttoyou]

Same here, Texas Repub Party has called several times and I told them same deal “no money for them to share with RINOS”. Naturally the caller didn't have much of a response,(what could they say?).

Fred would certainly rally me!