In the money race, Democrat Dan Maffei, has already won for the 25th Congressional District.
Maffei has broken the district’s record for campaign contributions with $2 million — out raising Republican nominee Dale Sweetland by well over $1.5 million. Sweetland’s campaign has raised only $365,408, and has just over $100,000 in the bank.
In 2006, Maffei ran for the congressional seat against Republican incumbent Congressman Jim Walsh. Walsh won election and the record for campaign contributions with $1.4 million. This year, Walsh is retiring and Maffei has a war chest that will allow him air three new ads this week, according to Maffei’s campaign communications director, Mike Whyland.
The 25th District Congressional race features Democrat Dan Maffei, Republican Dale Sweetland, and Green Populist Howie Hawkins. The district includes all of Onondaga and Wayne Counties, the northern portion of Cayuga County, and a few towns in Monroe County.
Here’s an overview of Maffei’s campaign finances for his previous election run and for this election:
For his 2006 run for the 25th District Congressional seat, Maffei raised $958,295.
For the 2008 election, Maffei has raised $2,014,605.
Maffei’s campaign has spent $1,703,598.00 this election year and has $350,917 on hand as of October 15, 2008.
The bulk of Maffei’s campaign contributions, 59 percent — or $1,182,630 — came from individuals.
Of the total contributions, 37 percent — or $752,418 — came from political action committees, groups that raise money to give to candidates and campaigns.
The largest contributions from PAC’s came from Act Blue, an online fundraising group that forwards individual contributions to Democratic campaigns, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Act Blue contributed $40,000. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee contributed $27,000
A large portion — 34 percent — of Maffei’s contributions came from outside of New York state. His Republican opponent, Dale Sweetland, has used those out-of-state contributions as ad ammunition against Maffei.
Onondaga County Republican Party chairman, John DeSpirito III, said that this large amount of out-of-state money would make Maffei politically indebted to these contributors if he wins election. He said Sweetland’s money is grassroots — most of it coming from individuals in Onondaga and Monroe Counties.
The largest collection of money from out of state comes staff members of the House Ways & Means Committee, where Maffei once worked. The committee’s staffers gave their former colleague a total of $5,750.
Among Maffei’s local contributions from individuals:
$3,950 from Thomas Fondy, a Syracuse University professor.
$700 from Mohamed Khater, president of CNY Islamic Society.
$2,300 from Jeremy Schwimmer, owner of Roth Steel company.
Syracuse University professor Thomas Fondy, said that he and his wife have contributed to political campaigns previously, including Maffei’s first run for Congress.
“I am interested in getting a Democratic majority elected in the U.S. Congress to work with a Democratic president so we can get the country moving again without grid-lock. Dan is experienced in how the Congress works.” (Fondy, SU professor).
Election Day is November 4th .
Reporting for Democracywise, Leigh Paynter.
(Leigh Paynter is a graduate student in broadcast journalism.)
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