Legislative candidates discuss fundraising approaches
Eight Lincoln area legislative candidates who advanced Tuesday to the general election spent a combined total of $110,000 on their primary campaigns, according to Accountability and Disclosure filings and the candidates.
Three of the eight — James Arthur Jeffers, Tony Fulton and Colby Coash — signed affidavits saying they would not abide by campaign spending limits of $89,500 for the primary and general elections combined.
The top fundraiser, Fulton, who advanced in District 29, said people had told him he’d need $100,000 for the primary and general campaigns. By early May, he had raised $105,725.
He spent $18,688 in the primary.
Among Fulton’s large contributions were: $2,500 gift from Omaha investor Pete Ricketts; $1,500 from Omaha businessman Walter Scott Jr.; $2,000 from H. Wayne Huizenga, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the entrepreneur billionaire founder of Blockbuster Video and former owner of the several professional sports franchises in Florida.
Fulton’s May 5 filing showed a number of contributions of $1,000 or more from a list of businesses and political action committees, including Anheuser-Busch of St. Louis, Mo., and Wal-Mart Stores of Bentonville, Ark.
Of his approximately 1,000 unique donors, 600 to 700 were from individuals, he said.
His opponent, Susan Scott, had raised about one-fourth the amount of Fulton — $27,525 — mostly from individuals, including her doctors and stockbroker, she said.
Only 40 votes separated the two.
Fulton said he scrambled to raise money for an election bid after his appointment by Gov. Dave Heineman in 2006.
He met both Walter Scott and Huizenga at events and approached them about helping out with his campaign.
Fulton said he sent out many fundraising letters, and wasn’t shy about asking for help.
“I have to,” he said. “I’m at a disadvantage when it comes to campaigning. In the Legislature, there’s no time to go knock on doors.”
And with five children, he can’t afford to fund his own campaign.
Scott said her money came from friends, relatives, the AFL-CIO and several political action committees. She had about 275 unique contributors.
People were waiting to see how she did in the primary before committing dollars to her campaign, she said.
Ideally, she said, campaign finance would be on a level playing field and campaigns would be won or lost based on what a candidate stands for.
“I think people vote based on relationships, not how much money you can put out there,” she said.
Still, she hopes money will follow her showing in the primary.
“I wish campaign finance was real,” she said. “The money could be spent so much better other places.”
In northwest District 21, voters winnowed candidates from six to two: Ken Haar and Jeffers.
Jeffers contributed $20,000 to kick-start his campaign and raised about $11,000 more.
He recognized the economy is down, he said. And people like candidates who are willing to put up their own money, in a showing of sincerity and commitment.
Haar, a former Lincoln City Council member, raised $38,713, including $6,000 from the national Sierra Club.
“My fundraising has been all personal contacts,” he said, with somewhere between 250 to 300 individual donors.
It takes money, he said, to let people know who you are and what your policies are.
“I’m a thoughtful person,” he said. “I would like people to know that.”
In the eastern District 25, former Lancaster County Board member Kathy Campbell has raised $43,551, three times the money opponent Travis Wagner has raised.
Her financial base is primarily individuals, plus PAC money.
“I always think the number of people who step forward to help is an indication of your strength of relationships,” she said.
Wagner raised about $14,000 for the primary, including $6,000 in contributions from family members and $500 from Omaha Sen. Tom White. He hopes to raise a similar amount for the general as he did for the primary, he said.
“I feel like running a campaign is more an act of energy and leadership, and using money wisely,” he said.
In the west Lincoln District 27 race, Dan Marvin has raised $33,448, more than twice the amount of opponent Coash.
Coash relied mostly on individual and business contributions and small fundraisers, he said.
“Money is important, but hard work and being organized plays a big part,” he said.
Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.
Three of the eight — James Arthur Jeffers, Tony Fulton and Colby Coash — signed affidavits saying they would not abide by campaign spending limits of $89,500 for the primary and general elections combined.
The top fundraiser, Fulton, who advanced in District 29, said people had told him he’d need $100,000 for the primary and general campaigns. By early May, he had raised $105,725.
He spent $18,688 in the primary.
Among Fulton’s large contributions were: $2,500 gift from Omaha investor Pete Ricketts; $1,500 from Omaha businessman Walter Scott Jr.; $2,000 from H. Wayne Huizenga, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the entrepreneur billionaire founder of Blockbuster Video and former owner of the several professional sports franchises in Florida.
Fulton’s May 5 filing showed a number of contributions of $1,000 or more from a list of businesses and political action committees, including Anheuser-Busch of St. Louis, Mo., and Wal-Mart Stores of Bentonville, Ark.
Of his approximately 1,000 unique donors, 600 to 700 were from individuals, he said.
His opponent, Susan Scott, had raised about one-fourth the amount of Fulton — $27,525 — mostly from individuals, including her doctors and stockbroker, she said.
Only 40 votes separated the two.
Fulton said he scrambled to raise money for an election bid after his appointment by Gov. Dave Heineman in 2006.
He met both Walter Scott and Huizenga at events and approached them about helping out with his campaign.
Fulton said he sent out many fundraising letters, and wasn’t shy about asking for help.
“I have to,” he said. “I’m at a disadvantage when it comes to campaigning. In the Legislature, there’s no time to go knock on doors.”
And with five children, he can’t afford to fund his own campaign.
Scott said her money came from friends, relatives, the AFL-CIO and several political action committees. She had about 275 unique contributors.
People were waiting to see how she did in the primary before committing dollars to her campaign, she said.
Ideally, she said, campaign finance would be on a level playing field and campaigns would be won or lost based on what a candidate stands for.
“I think people vote based on relationships, not how much money you can put out there,” she said.
Still, she hopes money will follow her showing in the primary.
“I wish campaign finance was real,” she said. “The money could be spent so much better other places.”
In northwest District 21, voters winnowed candidates from six to two: Ken Haar and Jeffers.
Jeffers contributed $20,000 to kick-start his campaign and raised about $11,000 more.
He recognized the economy is down, he said. And people like candidates who are willing to put up their own money, in a showing of sincerity and commitment.
Haar, a former Lincoln City Council member, raised $38,713, including $6,000 from the national Sierra Club.
“My fundraising has been all personal contacts,” he said, with somewhere between 250 to 300 individual donors.
It takes money, he said, to let people know who you are and what your policies are.
“I’m a thoughtful person,” he said. “I would like people to know that.”
In the eastern District 25, former Lancaster County Board member Kathy Campbell has raised $43,551, three times the money opponent Travis Wagner has raised.
Her financial base is primarily individuals, plus PAC money.
“I always think the number of people who step forward to help is an indication of your strength of relationships,” she said.
Wagner raised about $14,000 for the primary, including $6,000 in contributions from family members and $500 from Omaha Sen. Tom White. He hopes to raise a similar amount for the general as he did for the primary, he said.
“I feel like running a campaign is more an act of energy and leadership, and using money wisely,” he said.
In the west Lincoln District 27 race, Dan Marvin has raised $33,448, more than twice the amount of opponent Coash.
Coash relied mostly on individual and business contributions and small fundraisers, he said.
“Money is important, but hard work and being organized plays a big part,” he said.
Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.
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