Me#1You#10 Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 6503
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:24 pm Post subject: "Sen. Kerry ponders uses of his $14 million" |
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Kerry's much-vaunted $14 mill campaign chest is chump-change. Clinton has already raised $44 mill...and that's just for her shoo-in Senatorial campaign. So long Johnny...better save it to defend your Senate seat.
Quote: | Sen. Kerry ponders uses of his $14 million
By Alexander Bolton
The Hill
July 19, 2006
Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) is willing to use nearly $14 million left over from his 2004 presidential bid to narrow the fundraising lead of his chief rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.).
Kerry has $8.2 million in his John Kerry for President account and $5.4 million in his Kerry-Edwards 2004 Inc. General Election Legal and Accounting Compliance (GELAC) Fund. The sums were almost entirely raised after it became clear that Kerry would be the 2004 Democratic nominee against President Bush.
If Kerry were to use that money in the primary, he, Clinton and Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.) would probably be the best-funded Democratic candidates to enter the race.
His 2004 nest egg has given Kerry the luxury of focusing his efforts on raising money for Democratic candidates rather than worrying about money for his own 2008 Senate reelection race or about courting donors for another presidential run.
But using 2004 funds in a Democratic primary is certain to spark criticism from Democrats still angry that Kerry didn’t spend all of his available resources to defeat Bush.
“The money is available. It’s a loaded gun, whether he runs for president or Senate reelection,” a Kerry aide said. “But Kerry’s focus in 2006 is delivering for the party and getting Democrats elected, as evidenced by his aggressive fundraising for critical House and Senate seats and local races across the country.”
Kerry’s aides are highlighting the funds to dull the glitter of Monday’s news that Clinton has raised $44 million for her reelection race against weak Republican competition and has $22 million in her Senate campaign’s bank account. That will probably give her a huge head start over other presidential candidates heading into the 2008 presidential primaries, in which she is expected to start as the front-runner.
The Hill - cont'd |
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