Today thanks to OCPF (the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance) we got a first look at the fundraising prowess of the three candidates for Scott Brown’s The People’s state senate seat. Political newcomer and Emergency Room Physician Dr. Peter Smulowitz of Needham handily outraised his opponents, both of whom are sitting State Reps. This is very unusual, as incumbent elected officials almost always have the advantage when it comes to fundraising.
Democratic State Rep. Lida Harkins of Needham raised a little over $48,000, and has spent about $27,000 so far.
http://www.efs.cpf.state.ma.us…
Republican State Rep. Richard Ross of Wrentham raised over $55,000 and spent almost $31,000
http://www.efs.cpf.state.ma.us…
Smulowitz, on the other hand, has raised more than $69,000 so far, although he has already burned through more than $66,000, about half of it on direct mail by the looks of it.
http://www.efs.cpf.state.ma.us…
How doe this alter the race? Well, money doesn’t vote, but that said it’s obviously better to have more than your opponent rather than less. I think it’s important to notice that while Rep. Harkins seems to be saving some of her haul for after the Democratic Primary, Smulowitz appears to be spending everything he’s got on the primary itself.
For a political newcomer who is facing off against a well-known local official, this is probably wise.
You’re right:
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p>But that’s not what I am seeing here. It looks like she’s got the “more than your opponent” thing working for her at the moment.
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p>The good doctor’s got $3k in the bank and she’s got $21k. You’ve done, what, 3 or 4 mailings? She’s not done much besides get out some yard signs. Yet.
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p>She may not be “saving some of her haul for after the Democratic Primary”, she may be saving it for this weekend.
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p>Lida’s been doing this for a few years, and survived the knife fights in the House, so she may have a few tricks up her sleeves. And a few boxes of literature left to carpetbomb the district this weekend, the most important weekend of the election.
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p>Hopefully you’ve got a few boxes left yourselves. It’ll be a good weekend for doorknocking and lit dropping.
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p>The election’s a week from yesterday, what they have on hand at this point is actually less relevant than what they’ve spent, because both certainly have the cash to run their election day operations…. and that’s the only important expense at this point. I think the bottom line in this race is this: Smulowitz has been running for this seat for a very long time at this point, whereas Harkins only got involved when Brown was out. She hasn’t had the time to win this race, whereas Smulowitz has had all the time in the world and a competent campaign to do it with. A ‘She hasn’t done anything… Yet’ attitude is foolish in the extreme, because there’s no real time for her to do much of anything at this point anyway. Anything can happen on election day, but I think you have an awful lot of wishful thinking going on, or maybe just don’t understand what’s important in campaigns.
I don’t have a dog in this fight. I am not wishing anything. Just commenting on that the candidate who raised the most spent the most, and doesn’t seem to have much left.
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p>Davesoko thinks she’s saving it for the general; all I said was maybe she’s saving it for now. Lot can happen in a week.
The responses were very, very good. I say he pulls off the upset.
Particularly when this quote gets around:
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p>”Harkins’ opponent in the Democratic primary, Dr. Peter Smulowitz, is a recent transplant not only to Needham but also to Massachusetts, as well as a newcomer to politics. An emergency room professional, Smulowitz has made health care the centerpiece of his campaign. Unfortunately, when he met with our editorial board recently, it was virtually the only issue he could speak about with considerable depth or passion. As important as that issue is, we worry that he’d have a steep learning curve getting up to speed on other issues.”
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p>Lida has also received strong endorsements from Mass Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus, Mass Stonewall Democrats, Mass NOW, and Mass Women’s Political Caucus. Progressive groups are lining up for Lida because she gets things done.