Mitchell, Shadegg and Flake big winners on money scene
April 18th, 2008, 7:14 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Paul Giblin
The latest national campaign finance reports underscore one of the benefits of incumbency – access to money.
In seven of the eight U.S. House races across the state, the incumbents, regardless of their parties, are far ahead of their challengers in collecting campaign contributions.
In the eighth race, Republican incumbent Rick Renzi is not running for re-election. He’s scheduled to spend the campaign season in court fighting public corruption charges instead.
Consider what’s happening in the 5th Congressional District race.
First-term Democrat Harry Mitchell has bagged more than twice as much money as any of his Republican opponents. Mitchell had collected nearly $1.4 million and had more than $1.1 million cash on hand on at the end of the first quarter on March 31, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And he doesn’t even a primary opponent to be concerned about.
Former Maricopa County treasurer David Schweikert was tops among the GOP field in the 1st District. He had collected $681,000 and had $514,000 cash on hand.
Former lobbyist Jim Ogsbury was next with $427,000 in receipts and $353,000 in cash.
Meanwhile, former state Rep. Laura Knaperek had raised $100,000 and had $44,000 in reserve.
State Rep. Mark Anderson had raised $55,000 and curiously had $70,000 cash on hand, according to both the Center for Responsive Politics and the Federal Election Commission. Anderson told me Friday that those figures are somewhat in error. Actually, he had raised $93,000 and had $70,000 in reserve at the end of the quarter. The $55,000 figure was just the dough he had raised during the first quarter, he said.
The top three industry sectors pumping up Mitchell’s campaign were lawyers and lobbyists with $139,000 in combined contributions; finance, insurance and real estate with $130,000 in total collections; and labor at $122,500.
The 5th District takes in Scottsdale, Tempe, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee Foothills and west Mesa.
Over in the 6th District, four-term Republican incumbent Jeff Flake is running practically unopposed. He has raised $891,000 and had $975,000 cash on hand, thanks to spill-over from his previous campaign. His top three industry sectors were finance, insurance and real estate at $149,000 combined; miscellaneous businesses at $110,000; and construction interests at $54,000.
His Democratic opponent, author Richard Grayson hasn’t filed campaign finance reports.
The 6th District takes in parts of Mesa and Chandler, plus all of Gilbert, Queen Creek, and Apache Junction.
Meanwhile, in the 3rd District, seven-term Republican incumbent John Shadegg had collected more than $1.2 million and had $938,000 in reserve.
Democrat challenger and attorney Bob Lord had raised $833,000 and had $632,000 in cash.
And independent e-magazine publisher Annie Loyd was way back with $34,000 in collections and $7,000 in reserve.
Shadegg’s top industry sectors for contributions were finance, insurance and real estate at $136,000 combined; miscellaneous businesses at $121,000; and lawyers and lobbyists at $77,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Interestingly, two of Shadegg’s top three industry sectors also were among Mitchell’s top three. Shadegg’s a Republican; Mitchell’s a Democrat. Go figure.
Shadegg’s 3rd District covers central and northern Phoenix, plus Paradise Valley, Carefree and Cave Creek.
While over in the wide-open 1st District, which is Renzi’s district, former state Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick led the Democratic field with $661,000 in collections and $465,0000 in cash.
Next was new candidate and former U.S. House aide Jiff Riley, with $221,000 in collections and $216,000 in cash.
He was followed by former TV reporter Mary Kim Titla with $169,000 in receipts and $48,000 in cash.
Then came attorney Howard Shanker with $138,000 collected and $34,000 in reserve.
On the GOP side, Arizona Mining Association president and former talk radio host Sydney Hay led with $268,000 in collections and $222,000 in cash.
New GOP challenger and Internet businessman Preston Korn entered the fray with $19,000 raised and $10,000 in reserve.
The 1st District is the 10th largest district in the country. The district take in vast areas of northern, central and eastern Arizona, including the far East Valley. It stretches from the Utah state line to Casa Grande. The cost of road-side signs alone will be staggering.
