Who needs to debate when you have money?

Gov. Bill Richardson’s campaign has spent $4.9 million since July, but what’s even more shocking is that he has at least $3 million to spend in the final four weeks of this election season.

The next round of campaign reports were due Monday. You can find them on the secretary of state’s Web site by clicking here.

Richardson reported raising just over $3 million since July and has now raised $11.6 million for this campaign. He spent about $8 million on his 2002 campaign.

Republican challenger John Dendahl, by contrast, has raised a little more than $200,000 since July and about $275,000 since he joined the race in June. Dendahl has spent just over $71,000 since July.

Even more interesting than Richardson’s power to raise cash is how he’s spent it. In addition to spending millions on his own campaign, Richardson is sharing the wealth with Democrats across the nation.

Contributions included $40,000 to Jim Baca, the Democrats’ land commissioner candidate, $25,000 apiece to attorney general candidate Gary King and state auditor candidate Hector Balderas, and $10,000 apiece to treasurer candidate James Lewis and secretary of state candidate Mary Herrera.

Who’s your daddy?

To top it off, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Richardson gave $47,500 to Democratic candidates in New Hampshire. You might recall me writing several weeks ago about a political committee Richardson’s campaign set up there.

He also gave money to a candidate in Maine and state Democratic parties in New Hampshire, Nevada, Kansas and South Carolina, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Who’s their daddy?

With $3 million to spend in the final four weeks of the campaign (and that’s if he doesn’t raise any more money, which is unlikely), who needs to debate, right? Richardson’s marketing machine can saturate every home in the state with his message and never give his opponent a chance to counter his spin. Dendahl doesn’t have the money to effectively convey his own spin, so what’s the point of even acknowledging him?

Because it’s a necessary part of democracy, that’s why. I wish our political leaders who are avoiding debates, including Richardson and U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., would show more respect for the Democratic process and give a little less attention to Corporate America.

You can read about fundraising and spending in the other statewide races from the Associated Press by clicking here. Most reports for local candidates in Doña Ana County aren’t yet online. When they are, I’ll tell you about them.