U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., raised about $245,500 during the second quarter of 2007.
In a report filed today with the Federal Election Commission, Pearce also reported expenses of almost $60,300 during the period that ended June 30. At the end of the period, he had a little more than $383,000 on hand for his 2008 re-election campaign.
His fundraising total is high above that of his most active Democratic challenger, Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley, who raised $139,600 during the quarter. But McCamley’s expenses during the period were $6,300, leaving the difference between what each candidate raised this quarter and carries over to the next period at a little more than $51,000.
Pearce had $89,000 in contributions from political action committees, and his contributions from individuals totaled just over $122,000. McCamley actually raised more from individuals than Pearce, at just under $135,000. He had $1,500 in contributions from PACs.
Pearce began the quarter with just under $200,000 on-hand for his campaign. He ends it with $383,056 – about $250,000 more than McCamley.
Al Kissling, the other announced Democratic challenger to Pearce, hasn’t yet filed his second-quarter report, but must do so by Sunday.
Andrea Goff, Pearce’s campaign finance director, said the congressman raised more money during the second quarter of 2007 and currently has more cash on hand than he ever has at this point in a race.
“I’m very pleased with the numbers,” she said. “We are stronger than we’ve ever been at this time in the race.”
McCamley was also pleased.
“My campaign has momentum. His doesn’t. I outraised him in individual donations,” he said. “Obviously the people in this district feel strongly that there needs to be a change and that I’m the person to make that change.”
Goff said that isn’t obvious at all. Pointing to the fact that two of McCamley’s contributors were staffers of Gov. Bill Richardson’s presidential campaign and two others have close ties to the campaign, she said much of McCamley’s financial support during the quarter came from people living outside the district.
“You could say that we raised slightly less from individuals if you wanted to spin it that way,” she said. “Raising money from the powers-that-be with
Goff did call McCamley’s report “a good report, an interesting report,” but said it “doesn’t tell me that he’s got the support in the district that he needs to beat a congressman who has the support that Steve does.”
On the flip side, it’s also true that Pearce held two fundraisers during the quarter, and neither was in the district he represents. One was in
A competitive race?
McCamley, who hasn’t yet held a fundraiser, said “the only reason” Pearce outraised him was the gifts from PACs.
“I should be able to pick up a similar amount of Democratic PAC funding once they realize that this is a winnable race,” McCamley said. “He’s picking his up in the beginning, I’ll pick mine up in the end, and it will even out.”
It all adds up to an interesting race, McCamley said.
“If this does not show a competitive race, I don’t know what does,” he said.
Goff said the Pearce campaign has “a strong fundraising plan in effect for the rest of this year and next year” and isn’t worried at all. McCamley said he plans to start holding fundraisers this quarter.
In addition to the corporate PACs, Pearce’s contributors included a number of people tied to the casino industry. He had contributions of $2,100 each from R.D. Hubbard and his wife, the owners of a casino and racetrack in
Pearce also received $2,300 from
He also had a refund of $15,000 from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which was due to an overpayment Pearce made to the group during last year’s campaign, Goff said. Even though the refund had to be counted toward contributions to Pearce for the quarter, it doesn’t count against the little more than $30,000 the group can give Pearce this election cycle.