In the money race, Republican Ann Marie Buerkle trails badly against the incumbent Democrat in the 25th Congressional District race.
As of Oct. 13, Buerkle had raised $551,804, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. That compares to more than $2.7 million for Rep. Dan Maffei, D-DeWitt, who is seeking his second term in the House.
The 25th Congressional District includes all of Onondaga and Wayne Counties, the northern part of Cayuga County, and the towns of Webster, Penfield and Irondequoit in Monroe County.
The election is Nov. 2.
In the House of the Representatives, Democrats now have 258 seats to 177 for Republicans. All 435 seats are up for re-election. Voter polls show frustration and anger at incumbents and at Democrats in particular. That disenchantment has many political analysts predicting the Democrats will lose control of the House.
For the 25th Congressional District race, here’s an overview of Republican Buerkle’s fundraising, from the Federal Election Commission:
- The majority of her money — 67 percent, or $ 366,889 — has come from named individual contributors.
- Eight named individual contributors gave her the largest legal contribution possible of $2,400.
- 16 percent — or $87,070 — came from political action committees or PACs. These are private groups organized to elect political candidates and advocate for policies.
- Her largest PAC contribution is $50,124 from the US House Victory Committee 2010. This is a joint fundraising committee formed by Buerkle and five other Republicans running for Congress.
- 5 percent — or $28,000 — came from Buerkle herself, including a $13,000 loan.
- 17 percent — or $96,082 — came from donors outside of the state of New York.
One of those is Daniel Bukowski, who works in investments with QSG in Illinois. He and his wife contributed $4,800 to Buerkle’s campaign. “She’s a personal friend of ours,” Daniel Bukowski said. “When I have somebody I know, who is doing this, whose values I respect, whose values I admire, and is willing to do this with their lives, it would be hypocritical of me to not support someone like that.”
Buerkle’s campaign has spent most of the money’s she raised. As of Oct. 13, according to the Federal Election commission, she had $160,161 on hand.
(Bianca Graulau is a junior majoring in broadcast and digital journalism and political science.)
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