Raleigh High Point Dispatch – Show me the money
You might be one who thinks the influence of moneyed interest in politics is pernicious. You may be among those who say candidates shouldn’t have to scrounge for dollars in order to win.
And yes, an argument can be made that money’s influence on our political system has been corrosive to the public trust.
All that said, the lifeblood of a modern era political campaign, especially one with the size and scope of a Congressional contest, is money.
As of his last Federal Election Commission report, Sixth District Republican incumbent Howard Coble had about $824,501 in the bank. When the next reports are filed in July, bet on Coble having amassed more, not less.
His Democratic challenger Rory Blake has not as of yet filed a campaign finance report. Either Blake is blatantly flouting the law, or has not raised enough to trip the $5,000 threshold that makes filing organization papers for a campaign committee mandatory.
I ran into Blake at the Democratic convention High Point Saturday and he said the answer was the latter.
Blake said that he has switched his plan from self-financing the campaign to raising money over the internet.
“So far, it hasn’t come in yet,” he said, greeting various well wishers who passed by in the hallway of the High Point Theatre.
And so I poised the question to him: If you’re facing a long-time incumbent with a mammoth war chest, what are his fellow Democrats to think of someone who hasn’t raised enough to broach the most minimum of legal filing requirements.
“I don’t know what to think,” he said. “It does look like a competitive race and on paper it’s not.” He then paused and said, “I’ve got 19 weeks.”
That time frame might be generous. While it is 19 weeks to Election Day, North Carolina’s voters wake from their traditional summer political slumber when students return to school. Things really heat up in September and politicians need to be ready to reach their constituents.
Blake is unbowed, and said he has been walking door to door to make up for the lack of campaign cash. And he said plans were in the works for a fall push.
“We have a good plan, and I think when the plan come to fruition we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Blake said. “I’ve had a wonderful reception, I’ve been very encouraged.”
Really?
Really, says Blake.
In part, he is counting on a strong national trend against Republicans. The war in Iraq, the president’s falling poll numbers and what he sees as miscues on domestic issues will hurt Republican incumbents like Coble.
“I’ve been in races before where you know you’re going to loose,” he said. “This is not one of those.”
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Linkage:
- Click here for Rory Blake’s campaign web site.
- Click here for Howard Coble’s campaign web site.
- Click here for FEC reports on Howard Coble.