[EM] Midterm Candidates Raise Big Money

[DEMOREP1 at aol.com]

D- 435 U.S. Rep. gerrymander seats in 2002 -- about 36 competitive = about 8 
percent competitive

34 U.S. Senator gerrymander seats in 2002.

2003 result- more of the same U.S.A. government of the minority rule 
gerrymander, by the minority rule gerrymander and for the minority rule 
gerrymander.  

NO apologies to the late Prez A. Lincoln --- see his unreality speech at 
Gettysburg, PA, Nov. 1863. --- taking note that his minority rule gerrymander 
election in 1860 helped produce about 620,000 dead in the 1861-1865 Civil War.
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Midterm Candidates Raise Big Money

By SHARON THEIMER

WASHINGTON (AP) - Whether they're campaigning in expensive media markets or 
largely rural states, running for office this year or simply helping those 
who are, an increasing number of Democrats and Republicans are amassing 
campaign war chests of $1 million or more.
 
In Iowa, Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin has raised more than $5.9 million - 
$788,770 in the past three months - to try to fend off his Republican 
challenger, Rep. Greg Ganske, in November. Ganske has raised more than $2.9 
million, including $500,000 during a Monday fund-raiser headlined by 
President Bush.
 
In South Dakota, incumbent Sen. Tim Johnson, a Democrat, has raised at least 
$4.3 million, while his Republican challenger, Rep. John Thune, has collected 
about $1.6 million, according to first-quarter campaign finance reports filed 
this week.
 
Political scientist Larry Sabato sees two key factors behind this year's 
seven-figure campaign funds.
 
Redistricting after the 2000 census strengthened incumbents' positions in all 
but a handful of states and freed the national parties of high-spending races 
in some of the costliest states, such as California. That means they can 
target larger sums to races that might not otherwise get them.
 
And with just one seat giving the Democrats control of the Senate and only a 
handful behind the Republicans' majority in the House, each contest could tip 
the balance.
 
``Every race matters, so it doesn't matter if it's in a lightly populated 
rural state,'' said Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist.
 
Sabato estimates there will be about three-dozen competitive races in the 
435-member House.
 
In one of the hottest, an incumbent-vs.-incumbent matchup in Connecticut, 
Republican Rep. Nancy Johnson has raised about $1.7 million to about $1 
million for Democratic Rep. Jim Maloney.
 
In 2000, one or both major-party candidates in 32 of 34 Senate 
general-election matchups and in 134 House races spent at least $1 million, 
according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics.
 
Two set records: Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Rick Lazio together 
spent $69 million in the New York Senate race, which Clinton won, while 
Republican Rep. Jim Rogan and his successful Democratic challenger, Adam 
Schiff, had a $10 million race in California.
 
Those benchmarks are expected to stand after this fall's election, despite an 
influx of money from national party committees and from members of Congress 
with political action committees dedicated to financing party members' 
campaigns.
 
Several of those are potential 2004 Democratic presidential candidates.
 
Among them, 2000 presidential nominee Al Gore's Leadership '02 PAC has raised 
at least $528,480 this year to help Democratic candidates.
 
His former running mate, Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, has raised at 
least $644,071 this year for his Responsibility, Opportunity, Community PAC.
 
Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., has raised about $1.4 million for his New American 
Optimists PAC since its creation last fall.
 
The campaigns such PACs help probably will spend most every dollar that comes 
in.
 
Ganske spokesman Bill Armistead said Iowa might not seem like an expensive 
state to campaign in compared with New York, but several of its media markets 
cross state lines and are costlier than might be expected.
 
``We will not be sitting on a pot of cash at the end of this race,'' he said.

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