Polis Cracks $1 Million in Personal Contributions

Somethin' wrong with this picture. . .

Do we really want people to be able to buy elections with their own wealth?

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by: The realist @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:00:33 AM UTC

How does that question

resonate in CD2? It's a good question and I think voters deserve to be asked.

Dave, how do you feel about your candidate "buying the election?"

"Suddenly, it may be cool to be American again" - William J. Kole

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by: Go Blue @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:02:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think his own money is irrelevant

Since a candidate by definition is already fully in pocket to themselves, self donations are arguably the only money that does not buy any access.

With that said...

What worries me is the lower level of donations. Donations are the best way to measure strong support prior to the vote. The book Freakonomics documents a number of studies that shows money does not buy an election, rather money flows to the candidate with the best odds.

My worry is the lower level of donations signifies problems with the number of votes Jared will get.

It's also interesting that Will is number 1 by this measure. Again, following what happens in most (not all) races, that means Will is in first place and I just don't see that.

Anyways, you can't buy an election. All 3 have enough money that they are on pretty equal ground financially. It's going to come down to who does the best job of selling themself.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 04:38:44 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Don't see it?

It's also interesting that Will is number 1 by this measure. Again, following what happens in most (not all) races, that means Will is in first place and I just don't see that.

No offense David, but from what I have been reading around here, you won't "see" anyone but Jared winning until election day. Although I would probably still put Joan as the front-runner...I'd say Will is chipping away at that lead. I agree with Pols and several other analysts that Jared doesn't have a very good shot at actually winning no matter how much money he spends. As Jared has said himself, money can only buy you access to voters...not votes. Jared has already spent $1.3 million on this race and most voters aren't buying in (pardon the pun) to his candidacy. He seems to resonate with bloggers, some youth, and wealthy entrepreneurs. That's about it and that isn't enough to win an election.

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by: WinstonSmith @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 04:57:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think we're agreeing

My point is you don't count the self donations when looking at the money raised. And by that measure it's Will, Joan, then Jared.

But don't discount Jared. The caucuses had a ton of first-timers at them and that makes them, IMO, another good indicator. And he averaged 40% in them. He's definitely competitive.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 05:04:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe his own money is irrelevant

but besides the lack of broad based supporting donations, mega-rich self-financing candidates just don't seem to do all that well.  It seems that money does buy elections but it has to be mainly other people's money.

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by: BlueCat @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 05:17:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

little people who believe in him are making small contributions.

.
Does their support not count,
just because his own contributions are larger ?
.  

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by: Barron X @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 04:02:00 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

$10 million

Jared could dump $10M of his money into this. $1M is chump change for him.
Hopefully, we will get the best rep that money can buy. For example, Bob Shaffer.

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by: davebarnes @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:46:20 AM UTC

You want to see impressive fundraising

Darcy Burner - from Daily KOS

Burner will file documents with the Federal Elections Commission showing a total of $516,740 raised over the January to March quarter, putting her total raised over this election cycle at $1,374,866. After accounting for expenses, Burner reported $921,615 in the bank, up from $607,000 at the beginning of the year....

This is amazing:

The vast bulk of Burner's fundraising has come from individuals rather than PACs or political party committees - about $456,500 this quarter, or more than 88 percent of the total raised. Burner received 4,859 contributions from 4,416 individuals in the first quarter.

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 05:01:58 AM UTC

Very scary

I'm guessing her opponent is worried; the NRCC can't afford to keep pace with that kind of fundraising and still minimize their losses / maximize their gains.  Reichert isn't that well-off.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 15:50:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]