It’s time again for our quarterly “Drunken Sailor Awards,” handed out to the Federal campaigns in Colorado based on their spending habits in each quarter.
Check out the chart below, where we’ve awarded one Drunken Sailor for every 10% of money spent versus money raised in Q4. The big spenders are in CD-2, where Democrats Jared Polis and Joan Fitz-Gerald are both burning a lot of cash (though Polis remains in a league of his own). Also curious is the hefty sum spent by Mark Udall in Q4.
And don’t get mad at us if your favorite candidate ended up with more sailors than you would have liked – we’re not spending their money.
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Holy cow Jared Polis, the internet has been good to you. Udall and Schaffer is interesting but this is Udall’s race to loose. With Armstrong’s overloaded staff and no name id I expect his sailors to resemble those of Jared Polis in no time. Joan Fitz-Gerald continues to show everyone why she’s the queen b. Go Joan Go!
She spent 72% of her money… and not on TV or Mail… Where is it going? Hmmmm
What the hell does “fiscal accountability” mean in a political campaign? Isn’t the whole purpose to spend all of your campaign funds in order to get elected? I’d rather be a drunken sailor than a sober losing candidate. If you have money left over and you lose, the campaign was obviously mismanaged. That’s great she has over 500-grand in the bank right now, but it’s not going to do her any good if she doesn’t start making media buys soon (a federal campaign’s major purchase). In a presidential year, airtime is only going to get more expensive as we move closer towards election day. Time to start with those media buys Fitzy or your drunken sailor burn rate is gonna be worse than anyone here within three months.
I haven’t seen squat come out of either campaign. Part of Udall’s money went to a really nice website but Schaffer doesn’t even have that to show for 320K.
for the general election?
In these races, the favored party candidate is overwhelmingly favored to win in the general and is sure to attract new contributions should a viable post-primary challenge arise.
Moreover, in Colorado, a strong caucus stage game is critical to having a shot in the August 12 primary election.
The cypher of the drunken sailors is not why CD 2 and 5 spend so much, compared to say CD 4 (where a general election contest is the main event), but why no one is spending much money in CD 6 which has a decisive primary coming up, and why the U.S. Senate candidates are spending so much, so early, despite not having meaningful primary opposition.
Look no further than Salazar-Miles in 2004. CD-2 candidates don’t need to save money for November, but they should certainly make sure to have plenty available for June and July.
Then I wonder why Joan is spending 72% and not up on TV and Mail
the silence is deafening from the Joan Camp.
Everyone sleeping or eating caviar and champagne at the office? 🙂
Kidding kidding… sort of
Joan is clearly the working class candidate and Jared is the ultra rich snob. Wouldn’t it be his camp eating caviar and drinking champagne? My guess is it is more beer and hotdogs at the Fitzy camp.
Not when you spend 72% of your money raised and not on TV and Mail. Where is it all going? I say Mary Alice needs an Audit.
in a three way caucus you shouldn’t waste money, but win if you can do it cheap.
However for the down ballot races its a good place to message test and probe for weakness without spending much money so participation is a good idea if you don’t get knocked out at the assembly (in DenCo you don’t get knocked out until multi-county).
get onto the ballot, the caucus sets a deadline by which you must have buzz circulating about your candidate widely to prevent potential supporters from committing to candidates who do use the caucus system from inadvertently signing on with your opponents in the mistaken belief that you are not serious.
Creating buzz, of course, costs campaign money.
Colorado also has a long standing love with Caucus as well… Dont ask me why.
Looks like Jared has a boat load of Seamen!
when I wish ColoradoPols had some kind of community moderation.
Musgrave usually blows mad cash and typically worries more about big total raised numbers than cash on hand numbers. If she keeps her burn rate under control this time…..