Update: Ellyn Bogdanoff Extends Lead In Fund Raising
BY BUDDY NEVINS
In perhaps the hottest state senate race in Florida, state Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff had her biggest fund-raising quarter of this campaign — $106,196.
Ellyn Bogdanoff
Her major opponent state Sen. Maria Sachs raised $88,940.
During reapportionment, Republican Bogdanoff and Democrat Sachs were forced to run in the same Broward and Palm Beach County seat — District 34.
Bogdanoff now has a big lead in fund raising over Sachs. She has raised $366,767 compared to $173,915.
Bogdanoff also has over $300,000 in the bank, according to the report. Sachs has roughly $150,000 saved, her last report states.
The pundits thought this was going to be a big money race. The figures are way less than predicted, but this is largely a general election contest (Bogdanoff has a primary opponent) so there is a lot of time left.
Committees supporting either of the two candidates are expected to pour money into the race at the last minute, too.
(A personal disclosure: My son is Bogdanoff’s aide in Tallahassee.)
July 13th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
Actually, Maria Sachs does not really live in district 34.
July 13th, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Not to worry she’ll have another term.
July 14th, 2012 at 10:20 am
That’s not a heck of a lot of money for a district that covers TWO expensive media markets (PB and FTL/MIA). I assume neither is going to do much TV with that kind of $$$.
Kevin.
FROM BUDDY: I agree.
July 14th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
There will be TONS of television in this race but it will be party funded. It will be in the millions of dollars as well. The Republican party has a heck of alot more at the moment.
July 15th, 2012 at 9:08 am
Yeah, “I will explain”, that makes sense. In fact, that’s exactly what has been happening at state and national levels for the 2 campaigning years since Citizen’s United…. somebody else pays for most of the TV.
Kevin.
FROM BUDDY:
Actually, long before Citizens United, although it picked up since that ruling. Remember “Swift Boat”?
July 15th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Yeah, Buddy. But back in 2004, the Swift Boat ads were in a legal gray area between the old FECA laws from 1974 and the McCain/Feingold 2002 laws that no longer exists.
Anyway, I think that looking at how much $$$ a campaign (especially a high profile, high-importance campaign) raises is becoming more and more irrelevant, and the campaign finance laws don’t even mean anything anymore.
For example, in my FIU Introduction to American Government class, which I have been teaching for 19 years, I have always had an entire 50 minute lecture on campaign finance laws. I have since dropped that lecture as irrelevant. I mean, who in the hell cares that a congressional candidate can only accept $2,500 per election from an individual, when that individual can spend an unlimited amount himself or herself? Well, I DO mention that part in the elections lectures, and the students are thankful that they no longer have to memorize dollar contribution limits that no longer make sense.
Kevin.