Posted on 07/22/2002 8:27:12 AM PDT by RCW2001
July 22, 2002
McKinney Holds Big Cash Edge
Targeted House Member Banks Four Times As Much as Majette in Ga.
Majette is challenging Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D), who has been beset by controversy over her own views on foreign policy and the war on terror, in an Aug. 20 Democratic primary. But new financial disclosure reports indicate there are some big differences between the Georgia race and Davis' defeat of Rep. Earl Hilliard (D).
Federal Election Commission reports filed last week show Majette raised almost the same amount as McKinney during the second quarter reporting period, but she fell far short of meeting the incumbent's cash-on-hand total.
The Congresswoman raised $263,000 in April, May and June, compared to the $246,000 Majette raked in. McKinney, meanwhile, ended last month with a war chest of $463,000, more than four times the $99,000 Majette showed in the bank.
Davis' defeat of Hilliard gained international attention after money from outside Alabama flowed into both candidates' coffers. Davis was heavily supported by the Jewish community, while Hilliard was backed by pro-Arab groups and affiliated interests.
Both Hilliard and McKinney, viewed as hostile to Israel by some Jewish political groups, voted against a resolution passed by the House earlier this year that condemned Palestinian suicide bombings. McKinney has been under fire, meanwhile, for comments suggesting that President Bush allowed the attacks of Sept. 11 to occur to let his allies profit from the resulting war on terrorism.
Both districts in Alabama and Georgia are majority-minority and are heavily Democratic. All four candidates are black.
In the Alabama race, Davis had raised just $40,000 in the first quarter of the year and reported $39,000 in the bank on March 31, two months before the primary. But a month and a half later, when the candidates filed pre-primary reports, Davis had outraised Hilliard by more than a 2-to-1 margin and had more cash on hand.
However, the new FEC reports indicate that Majette has not benefited from the same monetary windfall that helped propel Davis' candidacy. According to Majette's campaign, 90 percent of the contributions she has received have come from individuals in Georgia.
"It's in-state and it's in the district," said Majette spokeswoman Elizabeth Wilson. "It's local folks, and they're the ones that are going to vote for her too."
McKinney's report, in contrast, shows a majority of contributions from organizations and individuals from outside the state.
"All I know is that Americans are supporting a true American," said Wendell Muhammad, McKinney's campaign coordinator who stressed that he was "born and bred in Georgia." He also said he was not familiar with the Congresswoman's latest FEC report.
Still, he said the campaign is aware of the role outside groups may play in the race as the primary date draws closer.
"We know they're coming," he said. "It's the same group of people that targeted Hilliard. ... It's going to be the same thing."
But he predicted that the money will not matter in the end. "We are running this race with the determination to win," Muhammad said. "The bank that we do have is the hearts of the people. That's our bank that we're depending on."
Majette's spokeswoman would say only that voters will be the ultimate judge. "People will have to look at it and make their own judgement on that, about where her money is coming from," Wilson said.
The McKinney-Majette race gained increased exposure after a Majette poll released in May showed her with a slight lead over McKinney.
Meanwhile, Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) made headlines last month after cutting Majette, whom he appointed to the bench while he was governor, a $1,000 check. Miller, an outspoken conservative Democrat who is often at odds with his party's leadership, stressed his donation was not a swipe at McKinney.
"I would have given a contribution to Denise Majette no matter who her opponent was," Miller said that the time. "I did so because of the positive feeling I have for her, not because of any negative feelings about someone else."
After being harshly criticized for her comments about Sept. 11, McKinney later claimed vindication after reports surfaced that the White House had received intelligence briefings that indicated an al Qaeda attack was possible.
While Miller is the only current Member who has contributed to Majette, she also received a $250 donation from former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (R-Minn.).
Majette also received a $1,000 donation from Donald Hess, a wealthy businessman in Birmingham, Ala., who introduced Davis to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, the powerful pro-Israel lobby. That led to a fundraising trip to New York.
Meanwhile, McKinney received contributions from several colleagues during the quarter and also reported $800 in in-kind contributions from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Democratic Reps. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), Elijah Cummings (Md.), Danny Davis (Ill.), James Clyburn (S.C.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas) and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (Mich.) - all members of the Congressional Black Caucus - have donated to McKinney.
Reps. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) have given to her as well.
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