According to The Washington Post blog “The Fix”:
Regular Fix readers know that we have been high on Democrats’ chances of taking over the seat being vacated by Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.). It’s been the number one ranked race on our Friday Senate Line all year thanks to Democrats clearing the field for Rep. Mark Udall and Republicans’ inability to find a top-tier candidate of their own.
So, when we went searching for Udall’s first quarter financial filing with the Federal Election Commission we expected to see a huge fundraising total. After all, it’s been clear for several years that Udall was running for the Senate. And, with a clear shot at the Democratic nomination and a GOP field in turmoil, a big fundraising quarter would have given any Republican considering the race pause.
Udall clearly didn’t see it that way. He raised $335,000 in the quarter. He retained a strong cash-on-hand balance of $1.5 million, but the vast majority of that cash was raised (and saved) prior to the first three months of 2007…
…Regardless of the reasons, Udall’s financial showing doesn’t match up well with other House members considered likely Senate candidates. Compare Udall’s performance with that of Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) who collected $623,000 for a Senate race that doesn’t even exist yet. (Davis would only run for the Senate if Republican Sen. John Warner decided not to run for re-election next November.) Udall was even outraised by Maine Rep. Tom Allen (D) who was hamstrung not only by his state’s small size (and relatively small donor base) but also by rumors — now quashed — that he might not ultimately run against Sen. Susan Collins in 2008…
…Rather, it’s a missed opportunity. If Udall had posted $600,000 or more raised (and nearly $2 million in the bank), it might have kept a candidate like former Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colo.) out of the race entirely. Schaffer is seen as the most likely serious Republican to make the race, but he struggled to remain financially competitive with beer magnate Pete Coors in the 2004 GOP Senate primary. Could a huge quarter by Udall have kept Schaffer out of the race? It’s impossible to know, but it certainly would have made the former Congressman think long and hard about what he was getting himself into.
“The Fix” is correct about one thing: Udall did miss an opportunity to raise more money, because 2008 is fast approaching. The biggest missed opportunity for Udall in not raising more money may be this: The opportunity to be more opportunistic. If Udall had more money in the bank, he could afford to take early shots at a Republican opponent if the opportunity was available; if Schaffer suddenly found himself the target of negative press, for example, Udall could take a few early shots at him.
But to suggest that Udall could have raised enough money to scare off Schaffer is a bit silly. If Colorado’s Senate race is indeed one of the top targeted seats in the country in 2008, Republicans could run Daffy Duck as their candidate and they’d still raise a ton of money.
Big fundraising efforts are great for scaring off primary opponents in a senate race, and they’re great for frightening potential opponents in a congressional race (see: Salazar, John and Perlmutter, Ed), but what difference would it make to Schaffer if Udall had $1.5 million or $2 million? It’s not like they would be fighting over the same donors. Schaffer will have to raise a lot of money whenever he decides to run, and both he and Udall have the same final monetary goal in mind.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
BY: Air Slash
IN: Battle for GOP Chair, Sans Dave Williams, Gets Underway
BY: harrydoby
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: Air Slash
IN: Battle for GOP Chair, Sans Dave Williams, Gets Underway
BY: Ben Folds5
IN: Gun Rights Groups Losing Their Damn Minds Over New Magazine Limit Bill
BY: Meiner49er
IN: Battle for GOP Chair, Sans Dave Williams, Gets Underway
BY: Conserv. Head Banger
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: coloradosane
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: coloradosane
IN: Gun Rights Groups Losing Their Damn Minds Over New Magazine Limit Bill
BY: DavidThi808
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: Thorntonite
IN: Gun Rights Groups Losing Their Damn Minds Over New Magazine Limit Bill
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!
I hope Udall and his team quickly come to the realization that Colorado and CD-2 are two very different things.
I hope they don’t.
and he was much more inline with Colorado then boulder Udall is. Udall will have to step it up in a big way, this report could spook future donors if they think his heart isn’t in the race.
Schaffer is running whether or not Latte Mark rushes the bank–and they’ll both have all the resources they need.
Of cash had everything to do with the major donors supporting Coors. He shouldn’t have that problem again, unless Suthers announces. But I don’t think we’ll have a primary, and Schaffer is most likely going to be our (well financed) nominee
There’s no way there’s a GOP primary unless Tancredo blows a(another) gasket and decides to run. Schaffer has been the NRSC’s and Dick Wadhams’ guy since the get-go. They first had to push out McInnis, gather financial backing, and get the party leadership in order before he announces.
The announcement is coming! Brighter days are right around the corner for the good people of Colorado!
After all, Tancredo IS Daffy Duck!
that possibility does exist……Tank is a loose cannon, if nothing else!
All the momentum swings with Schaffer. Both would defer to their colleague from N. Colorado. Besides that, just as McEnnis was shown the door, the NRSC and Wadhams would have them cut off at the knees… eerily similar to what happened to Schaffer last time during the last Senatorial primary except without all the skullduggery.
Although Tancredo is certainly a maverick, he is way too busy being one in the national spotlight forcing the immigration issue on the other presidential candidates. And, Owens isn’t even a consideration (this time) although he’s still amazingly popular in the polls. He knows he stands to slice his own political throat if he decided suddenly to jump in with all the ammo (both Dem and GOP) shored up against him. Nope. It’s definately gonna be Schaffer. It’ll be a good race between a true-to-the-core liberal latte drinking Democrat from (cough, cough – HACK!) Eldorado Springs (Boulder)who is a genuinely nice guy (but how gullible does he think Coloradans are with this Eldorado Springs thing? Seriously.) and a what-you-see-is-what-you-get conservative Republican with a lot of fire in his belly who is chompin’ at the bit ready to show what he’s made of. The discussion and debate between these two gentlemen will be awesome!
Skyster, no matter the press’s attempt at rehabilitating Tofu Boy’s liberal image the voters will see this race for what it is: conservative vs liberal, urban vs rural, etc, etc, etc. And I humbly submit that, all things being equal, the conservative always wins in a state like Colorado.
I said the debate will be good. Udall is a very intelligent man. The point being that the discussion will be MUCH better than it was between Coors and Salazar. Coors performance was so abysmal it was embarrassing. But, ultimately, I’m with you Dr. D – Schaffer comes out on top of this one.
Moderate Statesman El Dorado County Congressman vs. Bible Thumping Wingnut.
We ain’t just running against the Dems.
A. I give the voters a little more credit. I think they’ll see Tofu Boy for what he is–a liberal.
B. If Udall wins it will be in spite of himself. He will not be able to escape his liberal image and voting record. Without the aid of the media he wouldn’t even be running he’d be so dead in the water. Having the media at his back gives him a chance.
He’ll need to be flawless and really dupe the voters. Not sayin’ it can’t happen–but I’m cautiously optimistic.
But you guys think it’s a perjorative? I’m damned proud to be a liberal, because without our long tradition we be living in 1789.
He’s been talking about running for years you’d think he’d back it up, but so far he’s shown us nothing. Yes the repubs will always have more money, but in a presidential year, with the DNC soaking up money like a sponge, early money counts. If other states come into play, and it looks like Mark isn’t doing his share DC will drop him like a bad habbit.
Correct me if I”m wrong, but is that the thrust of your statement?
He’s had his reasons, whether personal or policital to not run until now.
and this is the best he could do. It’s sad that he was almost beat by Perlmutter. I want to like Udall I want to be impressed by him but he isn’t doing anything to earn it.
were Udall and Perlmutter ever in the same race?
you mean money
I think there is still a good chance that Owens is going to run.
certainly drop this race down a few notches on the fix line, and make the race the Republicans’ to loose
Schaffer may decide to primary Owens and we’ll have a replay of 2004…except that Schaffer may win this one. There is no way to understate the distaste so many conservatives have for Owens post-Ref. C.
I would, for the record, welcome an Owens run. But he needs to peace out for a little while if he plans on coming back onto the GOP political scene.
Owens should probably sit out until the division over C and D no longer exsists in the republican party.
And that could be a while.
…MUCH broader appeal. He’s won statewide several times, already and is more middle of the road. As a Dem, I would be much more worried about an Owens’ candidacy than a Schaeffer. (I know I mispelled his name.)
The Dems are confidant. The money isn’t needed now. Everyone holds on to their money until its needed. Most of you are blowing smoke.
Why did Perlmutter break his back to raise so much money? They’re running at the same time, but he needs the money sooner than Udall?
Washington worries about numbers too much sometimes.
That’s a pretty bold statement considering a) the almost exactly even division of the state politically and b) without even knowing for sure who the Republican candidate is going to be.
His $$ at this point in the game really isn’t that telling of the race to come.
this report shows udall isn’t taking his race serious at all. Time is flying by and he is off to a bad start.
And the general way out there. Lordy, we just had the 2006 elections!
Politics has gotten like pro sports. It used to be that for any given sport, it had a season. Now they overlap. Politicians, sadly, have put themselves on the same perpetual treadmill. It’s very sad and takes away from the real business of politics, debating and making laws.
He might just be saving his energies for later. I would.
Mark hasn’t been asking so people aren’t giving. How is it possible that Perlmutter almost out raised Udall?
Between the more demanding schedule at the first of the session and Mark’s position in leadership, he had less time than those with less responsibility to get on the phone. Don’t worry the money will be there and he is a formidable candidate.
Mark Udall will have no trouble raising the money he needs. Proving your ability to raise money early is important to showing that you are a viable candidate. Mark doesn’t have to prove that. He can do his job for now.
He’s a boulder liberal, who apperently doesn’t like to fundraise.
If? LOL! You mean “when”. The stories are probably written.
I am not hearing “stories” about either Udall or Schaffer. All I hear is Mark is too liberal (and perhaps drinks lattes) and Bob is too conservative.
And usually you *do* hear at least the beginnings of the stories. People want to test and refine the message I guess. We certainly heard “stories” about Scott McInnis right away.
So maybe it will be a clean election, based on issues and competing ideologies? Stranger things have probably happened.
The problem with the GOP and the press has been how anaemic the Republicans have been on the return serve. Nobody seems to want to fight back. Especially after the Foley Affair and always with Team Bush, you get the feeling that the GOP has no offense–no attack strategery.
That won’t be the case with Dick Wadhams. He’ll come come out with sleeves rolled and fists clenched when the media ramps up their usual Autumnal hit campaign against Republicans. Schaffer is not a guy to backdown either. If Republicans want to have a good year here in 2008 they will need to show the fighting spirit they have had throughout this year’s legislative session.
It’s like walking into the batter’s box against a big closing pitcher. Some balls will hit too close, some will be low blows, and others will be juuuuuusst a bit outside the norms of mainstream media dialogue. A good campaign will know when to step up and take a swing. A good campaign will be able to take the surprise curve fall and line it back up the middle to score a run or two. And in a close campaign like this one will be, it will be won by a run or two–not a Ritter-esque shutout.
Under the “sleeves rolled and fists clenched” what you see when the man behind the cutain is exposed is corruption, stupidity, regressive policies, a narrow vision of the future…..anti environment…pro-war….waste…lies…hypocrisy…all the same Republican bullshit!
Guru:
Colorado Pols:
It is a big deal that Mark is doing so poorly in fundraising because Mark has been talking about this for years. It’s a sign that either he is not taking this race seriously, he’s not disiplined enough to fundraise, and or his heart isn’t in the fight. All of these are bad signs for him. In early politics money = strength and resepect and Udall is losing both. He better do something to jumpstart his campaign he hasn’t been anointed yet.