The big lead in the money race goes to Rep. Dan Maffei, D-DeWitt, in the 25th Congressional District.
His campaign has raised more than $2.7 million as of Oct. 13, according to the Federal Elections Commission. That’s about five times the money raised by his opponent, Republican Ann Marie Buerkle, a former Syracuse Common Councilor and an assistant state attorney. Buerkle has raised $551,804.
Outraising a challenger is “quite normal for an incumbent” like Maffei, said Kristi Andersen, a political scientist at Syracuse University. “If you look at donations as an attempt to ensure access to an elected official,” said Andersen, “it is rational for people to contribute to incumbents, since incumbents usually win.”
Maffei is running for his second two-year term representing the district. The 25TH Congressional District includes Onondaga and Wayne counties, as well as parts of Monroe and Cayuga counties. The election is Nov. 2.
Here’s an overview of Maffei’s money matters, from the most recent reports filed on Oct. 13, to the Federal Elections Commission and from The Center for Responsive Politics, an independent group that tracks political money:
•Of his total, 54 percent — or $1.4 million — comes from named individuals.
• Syracuse University’s employees make SU a treasure chest for Maffei. Donors who identified themselves as employed by SU gave $18,350 to Maffei, according to calculations by The Center for Responsive Politics.
•45 percent — or $1.2 million — came from political action committees, or PACS. PACs are political action committees, or groups that exist to advance a particular candidate or political issue.
•Among his PAC contributions are $5,000 from the National Emergency Medicine PAC; $8,000 from the American Hospital Association; and $4,500 from the American College of Radiology Association’s PAC.
•Of his contributions from named individuals, about 2 percent — or $34,650 — came from individuals who listed their profession as health care.
•Maffei had spent nearly $2.3 million and had $450,581 left on hand.
Maffei voted in favor of healthcare overhaul and it remains one of his primary platforms in this campaign. But donations from the healthcare industry are not necessarily a result of that vote, said Andersen, the SU political scientist. “Health care unions are traditional supporters of Democratic candidates,” said Andersen.
(Heather Duggan is a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism.)
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