|
Ron Paul biggest GOP fundraiser
last quarter
Andrew Malcolm
LA
Times
Friday February 1, 2008
Well, it's official, ladies and gentlemen. Believe
it or not, Rep. Ron Paul, the 72-year-old Texan who hardly ever
gets mentioned in Republican political news and the one-time libertarian
who always gets the least time on TV debates if he isn't barred
completely, was, in fact, the most successful Republican fundraiser
in the last three months of 2007.
By a Texas mile.
By the thousands Paul's fervent followers donated $19.95 million
to the "Ron Paul Revolution." He spent $17.75 million
and at year's end had $7.8 million cash on hand, making him the
only Republican candidate to increase his fundraising totals in
every quarter of 2007. According to his website, Paul's Paulunteers
have contributed another $4.1 million this month to...
fuel the strict constitutionalist's travels and advertising campaign.
Compare that impressive financial success with, say, the late
candidate Rudy Giuliani, who raised only $14.4 million from Oct.
1 to Dec. 31 and spent $18.2 million.
Or the departed Fred Thompson, who collected $8.9 million and
spent $13.9 million.
Or even the newly-minted Republican frontrunner Sen. John McCain,
who raked in only $9.9 million, spent $10.5 million and had only
$2.9 million cash in hand. Of course, McCain's string of primary
victories in January will have boosted his financial fortunes.
Everybody loves a winner.
(Article continues below)
Mitt Romney actually raised only $9.2 million from other people
last quarter, less than half of Paul's haul. However, the former
Massachusetts governor -- and if he keeps spending at this rate
the quite possibly former multimillionaire -- gave himself $18
million more of his own money last fall for a total of $27.2 million
and $2.4 million cash on hand.
The former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who's had trouble
raising money, issued an unusual statement Thursday night. "My
presidential campaign," he said, "has defied the odds
and will continue to do so, as we head into the Super Tuesday
primaries, proving the power of of message over money and mechanics."
The statement did not include any Huckabee figures for the fourth
quarter. Which suggests that the winner of the Republican caucuses
in Iowa didn't have a very good fourth quarter.
So a certain suspicious blogger, lead by the experienced hand
of The Times' campaign finance expert Dan Morain, went to the
website of the Federal Election Commission and looked up Huckabee's
fourth quarter report. It seems he raised about $6.7 million,
a third of Paul's sum, while spending $7.08 million, leaving him
on New Year's Eve with cash on hand of only $651,300.68. No wonder
he didn't mention numbers in the news release.
Now, this month Huckabee will have received some donations after
his Jan. 3 Iowa win. But it does raise serious questions about
how long the Arkansan can continue to compete after Feb. 5 or
even how much he can do before other than get on as many free
radio and TV shows as possible.
Paul, who's done well in some symbolic straw polls and little-noticed
state caucuses until his best showing so far as a second-place
finisher to Romney in the Nevada caucuses, has repeatedly disavowed
a third-party effort if his bid to be the Republican nominee in
St. Paul next summer falls short.
His determined followers maintain that a news media conspiracy
is holding down Paul's success at the polls, although obviously
word has gotten out to somebody for him to raise such sums. Paul's
outspoken stands, including withdrawal from Iraq and drastic downsizing
of the federal government, run counter to each of his GOP competitors.
As for Paul's campaign, his loyal troops plan another "money
bomb," a big fundraising day, today in honor of Ron and Carol
Paul's 51st wedding anniversary. One of the obvious gifts: the
undisputed GOP fundraising championship for the last three months
of 2007.
|
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
|
|
