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.”

[staytrue]

All of you are irrelevant regarding money.

As proof, It will take 3 weeks for FR to raise a measley 70,000 dollars.

Conservatives are a bunch of irrelevant cheapskates.

And the proof is in the freepathon.

[WTSand]

I’m sorry. If it comes down to Rudy or the hildebeast? That’s not a choice politically. It’s a popularity contest. My time would be better spent foraging for ammunition and good non-perishables.

[Antoninus]

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

You do know that Hunter is in tight with the big defense contractors, right....

[arthurus]

We just gonna haf to have a candidate or two that money flows to. We don’t have that yet. Many Conservatives will, in fact, vote for one of the three front runners but they won’t give them money. That would be the insult to injury thing.

[arthurus]

The answer to the Democrat lead is NOT to run a Democrat with a Republican label. Shapeshifters and nuts are also not good Republican candidates.

[Antoninus]

Conservatives are a bunch of irrelevant cheapskates.

No, Conservatives are very careful about *where* they send their money. If there's any perception that they're not getting their money's worth, they won't spend it. When the GOP was perceived as being a conservative bastion back in the 1980s and 1990s, they had no trouble outraising the Dems. What happened? The answer couldn't be any more obvious.

The Conservative money is sitting on the sidelines at the moment. People have to be motivated to send in cash. As the majority of Republicans hate their media-selected "frontrunners", they haven't had any impetus to donate to this point. That will change as soon as a conservative alternative breaks through.

As for FR, how many other conservative websites do you know that can raise $70,000 in three weeks? Rather than belittling that feat, you should celebrate it.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Hillary Clinton spent a record $30 million last year to get reelected to the Senate against a weak candidate. She sets the standard. Clinton needs this level of money because she is incapable of selling herself without huge expenditures on advertising, high-priced consultants, tightly choreographed public events and thousands of paid operatives. Like Madonna, she is a production rather a person. Obama—who kicked off the race earlier than expected—and Edwards, are forced to obsess on bigger and bigger bucks to build primary campaigns as large as Clinton’s. All money raised so far will be used in a battle between three, maybe four Democrats that will probably end in a sordid, bloody dogfight.

To compare Republican primary fund raising with Democrats, at this point, is meaningless.

[FarRightFanatic]

I’ve returned nearly everything they’ve sent me with a note attached informing them why they aren’t getting a dime from this household. Ask for $$$ when you’ve gotten back to the core GOP principles—Reagan conservatism.

[soupcon]

“2. The Politico website is horrible and full of Moonbat authors and Commentators. Much Hype over nothing”

Libs hate The Politico. Maybe they just tweek everyone.

[raftguide]

“The R.N.C. seems to think the Libs have moved America to the left of center and that is where they are targeting to win.”

Right. So tell the RNC to get their money from all those new left of center Republicans that will ensure that they win in 2008!

[RobRoy]

And in other news, GHW Bush had a higher than 90% approval rating and he STILL lost to an unknown from Arkansas.

I am interested in who is ahead at the END of the game.

[RobRoy]

And in other news, GHW Bush had a higher than 90% approval rating and he STILL lost to an unknown from Arkansas.

I am interested in who is ahead at the END of the game.

Especially when the first string is still sitting on the bench.

[Antoninus]

The R.N.C. seems to think the Libs have moved America to the left of center and that is where they are targeting to win.

In my opinion, the RNC has moved left of center and wants to do two things--1.) Elect a liberal Republican as president. 2.) use conservative money, votes, and energy to do so.

They can kiss my @ss. If they managed to push through a liberal like Gungrabiani, all bets are off. I'm off the reservation, big time.

[flashbunny]

"Conservatives are a bunch of irrelevant cheapskates."

Thanks for stating your true beliefs for all to see.

[Politicalmom]

Tancredo is in as of Sunday.

[Joe Boucher]

Hattie I’m not giving a cent to anyone touting public funding for abortion.
I’ll write in a true conservative before I vote for a RInO.

[Joe Boucher]

Martinez is my senator here in Florida. What is the difference in this assclown and say Schumer?
Zero

[Joe Boucher]

Instead you shoud write on it that you will donate when Republican candidates are conservatives and support conservative causes. Quit your support for RINOs.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

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

Oh, the welfare plantation for illegals fiscal conservatives?

No wonder... slap a fancy Madison Avenue label on a liberal, call them "conservative," just so long as they give public housing to their cheap, illegal immigrant laborers?

[perez24]

I’ve had the same experience. I told them that when they get serious about GWOT and borders and shut guys like Hagel and Warner up then I might contribute again.