UPDATE: To clarify, these numbers do not reflect a whole quarter of fundraising for either Rep. Joe Miklosi or Mike Coffman. These are pre-primary period reporting numbers from April 1-June 6, with most but not all of the second quarter included. There are still eleven days left in the second quarter, so both Miklosi’s and Coffman’s Q2 totals will presumably be greater.
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 Brian, for example, has 37 pieces of flair. |
Democratic CD-6 candidate state Rep. Joe Miklosi reports $175,000 raised in the pre-primary April 1-June 6 period based on numbers now available on the Federal Election Commission’s website. Once again, Miklosi was significantly outraised by GOP incumbent Rep. Mike Coffman, who raised some $325,000. Miklosi reports $394,000 total cash on hand, Coffman over $1.5 million.
We’ll start by stating the obvious, Miklosi needs to raise more than this to convince outside observers that he is a serious contender for Coffman’s seat (not to mention that he can’t really compete with Coffman for paid media at this rate of fundraising). We’ve set a floor of $200,000 per quarter for Miklosi in previous commentary, with the expressed opinion that he would need to show consecutively improving totals to really make backers feel comfortable.
But $175,000 in this pre-primary report is not a total faceplant–call it “the bare minimum,” preventing Miklosi from being written off if not anything to write home about. This is enough for him to stay in the race; he’s not expected to outraise Coffman, and if he invests his resources smartly, doesn’t need to to in order to win the election in this newly competitive district. But he needs more than this, and it’s striking that he didn’t raise more money even with all of the free media attention the race received from Coffman’s bungling.
Miklosi’s campaign still needs to kick the fundraising into higher gear, right now–because nobody wants to be known as the one “who only does the bare minimum.”
But I’m gonna be. For Miklosi, it was absolutely necessary for him to raise significant funds this quarter, if he wanted to receive outside assistance from anybody. There is just no way the DCCC is going to spend a dime on this race with that kind of fundraising disparity.
We’re a little over 4 months out from election day, Miklosi raised $60K less this quarter than the last quarter, Coffman has $1.2 million more in the bank and is still raising nearly double each quarter what Miklosi is.
It’s a shame because I think Dems had a decent chance at a pick up here with redistricting.
At this point, best to build the base and the infrastructure this election cycle and run a stronger candidate in 2014 with the hopes of picking off this seat when Coffman tries to take out Udall, making this an open seat.
I think the disappointment is acknowledged in the Guv’s post, too. But it would be worse if Coffman’s fundraising had not taken a big hit as well. Miklosi has to step it up, but if there is a ray of hope it’s that Coffman plunged even more than Miklosi. Issue wise, Miklosi still has more to work with, and voters more ready to listen.
I love underdogs, even bumbling hard luck underdogs, and I’m not writing Miklosi off yet.
that the entry of a reasonable and somewhat well financed former Democrat — Kathy Polhemus — into the race will not only take votes away from Miklosi; it will further diminish his already meager fund raising ability.
Miklosi has been remarkably invisible in the new 6th CD. If it hadn’t been for the Crossroads billboard, and Coffman’s gaffes, Miklosi would have never even gotten his name out there. Even with that, no one — but the most partisan of Democrats — can even recall it now.
What were the state Democrats thinking last year? They get the district they wanted, but they had no one to bring to the ball!
Polhemus had it right in her campaign announcement. Miklosi is too liberal for the new 6th CD. The blue collar Democrats there are not as left wing as his southeast Denver constituents had been. I think the DCCC will soon be moving its resources to the 7th, or maybe 3rd, CD. They are objective professionals and don’t care how nice Joe may be.
that Coffman goes against Udall. He just is not that popular statewide and it is actually dropping. Coffman is only interested in getting paid and won’t jeopardize his paycheck for one the same size when the only gain is that he only has to campaign a third as much. Now, if the seat were open…
The hope was that Miklosi would be able to run a stronger campaign than Bill Winter and John Flerlage did in prior elections and actually make a dent in the perception of Coffman as a moderate who could run for and win a contest for Governor or Senate later on.
What’s funny is that if that were still where the bar was set, Miklosi would be doing an amazing job.
What is it going to take to convince you that Coffman is going to be re-elected and that Miklosi is a joke of a candidate? I keep saying, Coffman should be a 10-1 favorite at this point.
Coffman a national news laughingstock doesn’t move you at all? What the hell would?
That Miklosi has not caught on with anyone. Yes the super-active Dems in the district are onboard but they would be with anyone.
But outside that, he’s just not resonating.
My 90 year old Dad would like to send a check to Joe, but I could only find a online contribution form, and he was reluctant to use it. Sal Pace’s donation page at least says where a check can be mailed and how to make out the check. No one should make it hard to contribute!
The mailing address is right below the contribute button:
“Send checks to:P O Box 3975, Greenwood Village, CO 80155″
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Y duz Brian’s name tag say “Stan ?”