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Tuesday, April 19, 2005

NY-Sen: Financial Reports

Posted by Bob Brigham

In case anyone was looking for evidence that Senator Clinton is as effective a fundraiser as her husband, look no further:

WASHINGTON, April 18 - Even as Republicans struggle to find a candidate to challenge Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York next year, she has embarked on a furious fund-raising drive that appears to have left her with a larger reserve of cash than any other senator seeking re-election.

Her campaign reported on Monday that she had amassed nearly $4 million in contributions in the first three months of this year, meaning that she will close the first quarter with $8.7 million in the bank. [...]

The amount raised by the Clinton campaign during the first quarter of the year strongly suggests that her base of support is swiftly mobilizing, even though Republicans are having trouble recruiting a big-name candidate to run against her.

However, that is just what she's done to build her campaign the largest warchest out of all Senators standing for re-election in 2006. What about other candidates?

But remarkably enough, the nearly $9 million that Mrs. Clinton has in the bank does not capture the full extent of her fund-raising ability, say her campaign advisers and other Democrats.

That is because Mrs. Clinton spent her first four years in office playing host to fund-raising events not so much for herself as for House and Senate candidates around the country, as well as the three major Washington-based Democratic campaign committees.

Her campaign advisers estimate that she brought in at least $45 million for other Democrats, including Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic candidate for president. Indeed, Whitehaven, the Clinton home in Washington near Embassy Row, has been a hub of Democratic activity, with frequent fund-raising dinners and receptions.

Remarkable.

Posted at 08:57 AM in 2006 Elections - Senate, New York | Technorati