Early 2009 fundraising numbers set stage for 2010 congressional election

Campaign donations are rolling in now that 2010 is here, but plenty arrived during the last three months of 2009.
 
In a normal quarter, Friday would have been the deadline for quarterly finance reports, but candidates get an extra two weeks for year-end reports, which are due Jan. 31. Still, plenty are getting their numbers out early.
 
{mosads}One of the big early winners is Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), a top challenger who turned in a second-straight big quarter. He raised $1.9 million between Oct. 1 and Jan. 13 after raising $1.6 million in the third quarter.
 
Kirk’s total includes an extra 13 days, because Illinois filers will be sending in pre-primary reports for their Feb. 2 election. Those reports are due Jan. 21, rather than Jan. 31, when other candidates must file year-end reports covering the fourth quarter.
 
Kirk had $3.2 million in the bank, which is about $900,000 more than he had at the end of the third quarter. That means he spent about $1 million for the three-and-a-half-month period in his primary with developer Patrick Hughes. Kirk is a heavy favorite in the primary.
 
Other fourth quarter numbers that have come in:
 
-Also in Illinois, state Rep. Julie Hamos (D) raised $535,000 in the extended period for her primary against 2006 and 2008 Democratic nominee Dan Seals. The two are battling for right to run for Kirk’s seat, and Hamos has been the big-money candidate in the race.
 
-Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) has $12.3 million cash on hand for her gubernatorial primary, versus $11.6 million for Gov. Rick Perry (R). Perry outraised Hutchison $7 million to $6 million over the last six months of 2009.
 
-New York Gov. David Paterson (D), who still won’t cede to pressure for him to step aside, has $3 million cash on hand, compared to $16.1 million for state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D), his phantom primary opponent.
 
-Rory Reid, the Democratic frontrunner for Nevada governor, raised $2.6 million last year, while GOP frontrunner Brian Sandoval, who started later, raised $900,000.
 
-Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) raised $4.8 million in 2009 for his reelection campaign.
 
-Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) raised $1.5 million in the fourth quarter and had $1.4 million on hand, while current Gov. Chet Culver (D) had $2.6 million on hand.
 
-Houston Mayor Bill White (D), who recently switched from running for Senate to running for governor, raised $2.5 million in less than a month. He also transferred millions from his Senate bid, and he had $5.5 million in the bank to start the year.
 
-Bethlehem, Pa., Mayor John Callahan (D) raised $380,000 and had $625,000 in the bank. Both of those are more than Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), who raised about $350,000 and had $600,000 on hand. Interestingly, more than a quarter (28 percent) of Callahan’s contributions came from registered Republicans.
 
-Virginia state Sen. Robert Hurt (R) raised $293,000 and had $259,000 after his first quarter as a candidate. He faces businessman Laurence Verga and others in the primary to face Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.). Verga raised $23,000 and self-funded $214,000, for $218,000 cash on hand.
 
-Attorney Andy Barr (R), who is challenging Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), fell off his fast pace from the third quarter. He raised $119,000 after a $186,000 effort the previous three months. Chandler, who was outraised in the third quarter, was just fine this time, raising $210,000.
 
-Vaughn Ward, the GOP establishment favorite to take on Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho), raised $100,000. It’s a decent sum, but it includes a fundraiser that featured House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas).
 
-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier (R) raised $215,000 for his run at Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.). The figure is more than he raised during his entire time as a Senate candidate, when he struggled to put together funds. He has $275,000 on hand.
 
-South Dakota state Rep. Blake Curd (R) raised $180,000 for his campaign against Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.).
 
-Ophthalmologist Nan Hayworth (R), who is challenging Rep. John Hall (D-N.Y.), upped her third-quarter total slightly to $178,000 in the fourth quarter. She has $519,000 on hand, thanks to a $250,000 self-contribution.
 
-Republican National Committeeman Mike Pompeo (R) raised another $99,000 for his run at Rep. Todd Tiahrt’s (R-Kan.) seat (Tiahrt is running for Senate). Pompeo has $270,000 on hand.
 
-Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) raised $100,000.
 
-Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) raised $342,000 and has $979,000 on hand, as former U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan (R) lines up a challenge.