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Campaign finance
October 30, 2009
Madeleine Albright, in Austin, raising money today for expected McCaul challenger
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, paused in Austin for Saturday’s Texas Book Festival, is the guest of honor as I type for a fund-raiser for Austin’s Jack McDonald, the Perficient executive who’s raised more than $1 million in hopes of unseating GOP U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, next year.
McDonald’s camp casts today’s closed-to-reporters’ “discussion” of international affairs at MPower Labs as a fresh demonstration of the strength of the Democrat’s campaign. Fetch the invitation by clicking here, though keep in mind the gathering ends at noon.
And if McCaul airs a reaction, I’ll update this blog.
Loose talk: Albright sported a bronze Texas pin at a taping of “Texas Monthly Talks” this morning. “Where else could I wear it?” Albright said, according to someone in the audience.
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July 15, 2009
UPDATED: Perry's biggest donor, Mica Mosbacher, gave his campaign $225,000 in June
UDPATED AND CORRECTED: Gov. Rick Perry hustled up $100,000 donations from six supporters in June toward $4.2 million in donations, his campaign said this afternoon, with philanthropist-fundraiser Mica Mosbacher of Houston topping all donors by separately giving $75,000 and $50,000 donations in addition to her $100,000 contribution. (Perry appointed her to the University of Houston System Board of Regents in 2008.)
Perry’s 1,000-plus donors were barred by state law from giving him checks until the last nine days of June, meaning his campaign corraled a whomping $470,120 per day.
His other $100,000 givers: San Antonio businessman Red McCombs and his wife; investment manager Gary Petersen of Houston and his wife; tax consultant George Ryan of Dallas and his wife; Dallas businessman Harold Simmons and his wife; and the Gallagher law firm of Houston.
Perry’s biggest Austin giver was the AT&T Texas PAC, which gave $50,000. Two Austin residents made $50,000 donations: Steve Hicks, chairman of Capstar Partner and a Perry appointee to the University of Texas System Board of Regents, and James Schneider, a former senior executive with Dell Inc.
All of these givers (or their spouses) have ponied up for Perry before, having given him (all together) more than $1.5 million from 2003 through 2008, according to a review of finance reports by Austin-based Texans for Public Justice.
Other lobby-oriented groups and their Perry donations include: the Wholesale Beer Distributors ($25,000); TEXPAC, the political arm of the Texas Medical Association ($25,000); the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas ($20,000); and the American Electric Power Texas Committee ($10,000).
Former Austin state Rep. Terry Keel gave Perry’s campaign $5,000 from his political kitty.
There’s not yet been word on Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s finance report.
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July 14, 2009
Democrat Schieffer reporting $800,000 in contributions, counting $200,000 loan
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Schieffer of Fort Worth revealed today he’s raised almost $800,000 in contributions. That’s far less than what Republican Gov. Rick Perry or his expected primary challenger, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, have said they each corraled, but probably in excess of what Democratic prospect Kinky Friedman will be reporting this week (I’ve heard Friedman has raised less than $100,000, the bulk of it from Spicewood entrepreneur and long-time Friedman supporter John McCall).
His campaign entered July with $454,155 cash in hand.
Schieffer’s campaign money includes $200,000 loaned by Lyndon Olson of Waco who, like Schieffer, is a former U.S. ambassador; Olson, the campaign’s treasurer and co-chairman of its finance committee, separately gave $55,000 to the campaign. Also, Edward “Rusty” and Evelyn Potter Rose of Dallas each gave his campaign $100,000. Rusty Rose was a partner with Schieffer when the two were in a group with George W. Bush that owned the Texas Rangers baseball team.
Lawyer Joe Longley topped Schieffer’s Austin donors; he gave a little more than $25,000.
“This money was raised during some very difficult times in Texas,” Schieffer said in a statement distributed by his campaign. “People are worried about the economy, jobs, insurance rates, health care and utility costs.
“Still, enough people believed in what we are doing to invest their hard-earned dollars in our cause. They did not give because I had the advantage of incumbency nor did they give because I held one office and was running for another. They gave us these resources because they believe I can lead a cause that will change Texas for the better. I am humbled by their confidence and will do everything I can to merit their continued support.”
Clay Robison, Schieffer’s spokesman, told me Schieffer hasn’t devoted as much energy as Perry and Hutchison to fund-raising; he’s been focused on meeting potential supporters around the state.
“He hasn’t been spending a lot of time on fund-raising, per se,” Robison said, adding that “you could call (Perry and Hutchison) professional fund-raisers, professional politicians.”
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July 13, 2009
Hutchison: I have $12.5 million to run and I'll formally announce in August
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison revealed this afternoon at a Dallas press conference that her gubernatorial campaign ended June with nearly $13 million cash on hand.
Her tally of $12.5 million tops the $9.3 million that GOP Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign has said the governor had on hand through June and widens the $2.4 million edge on his campaign that Hutchison established at the start of the year.
“This is a huge victory,” Hutchison told reporters at the event, which I viewed online until the feed cut off some 16 minutes into Hutchison’s appearance.
Hutchison also said she’ll formally declare for governor in August.
“I am so excited and ready to go,” Hutchison said.
She pooh-poohed recent polls suggesting that Perry has overtaken her among likely GOP primary voters. “I know that I am ahead and I know that we are going to win because we are right on the issues and” right for Texas, she said.
Though she’s spoken previously to possibly resigning her seat—a move that could set off a spring 2010 special election to elect someone to serve out her term—she added no details on resignation thoughts today.
Hutchison leaped ahead of Perry in cash on hand just before the start of this year when she juiced her fledgling gubernatorial committee by transferring $7.96 million from her U.S. Senate campaign account.
As of the end of December, she had nearly $8 million cash on hand in her state kitty and Perry had $6.6 million in his.
Much remains to be seen including which individuals and interests pitched in for the respective aspirants and how each one carved into the other one’s usual base of support.
But the totals signal that both of them—who each reached statewide office via the 1990 elections—will have ample money to wage high-powered campaigns through the March GOP primary.
A possible hitch: If the campaigns misspend money wildly in the intervening months, hurting outreach efforts and muddying their intended messages to voters.
Separately today, Perry’s campaign announced the hiring of Rob Johnson, who has been chief of staff to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, as Perry’s campaign manager.
Other Perry staff posts were also unveiled including Kevin Lindley as Johnson’s deputy; Krystle Kirchmeyer as finance director; David White as political director; and Sarah Floerke as organization director.
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UPDATED: Hutchison poised to say today when she's formally declaring for governor
UPDATE: See the live stream here: http://texans.forkay.com/pages/livestream
Credit the Dallas Observer for reaching Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s chief campaign spokesman earlier today; Hans Klingler told the pub here that she’s calling Dallas reporters together this afternoon to share the date she’ll formally announce her candidacy for governor against Gov. Rick Perry and to pass along fund-raising tallies for the first six months of this year.
Perry, to remind, said last week his campaign had $9.3 million cash on hand as of the end of June; he raised more than $4 million in the last few days of June, the only period he and other state-level officeholders were legally permitted to accept contributions.
Hutchison’s campaign tells me her 2 p.m. event in Dallas will be live-streamed online at her site, here.
My hunch: The senator is about to overtake Attorney General Greg Abbott in having the most cash on hand of any state officeholder or candidate entering July. Abbott, widely expected to run for lieutenant governor if incumbent David Dewhurst clears out, is letting supporters know he ended June with $9.37 million cash on hand, up from nearly $8.6 million at the end of December.
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July 8, 2009
Perry: I've got $9 million-plus on hand
Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign revealed today that it ended June with $9.3 million cash on hand, having raised $4.2 million in the last nine days of the month, which was the only period this year that he could legally accept donations.
For the moment—and surely just for the moment—that means Texans for Rick Perry is reporting more cash on hand than Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s gubernatorial committee, which entered this year with nearly $8 million cash on hand, a tally that then outpaced Perry’s end-of-2008 cash balance of $6.6 million.
Hutchison’s campaign, which could legally raise money through the regular legislative session and post-session veto period, is widely expected to report much more cash on hand by the time all finance reports are due a week from today.
UPDATE: Hutchison spokesman Hans Klingler reacted indirectly, saying: “Kay Bailey Hutchison is proud of her strong statewide support, which is both broad and deep.”
The two are expected to face off for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in March.
Today, Perry’s campaign didn’t release his full report and it disclosed no information on who precisely accounted for his end-of-month haul.
But broadly, the campaign said it had raised $4.23 million—including $454,094 online—from 1,076 donors from June 22-June 30, which it said nearly doubled the amount he collected over a similar time period after the 2005 regular legislative session. (UPDATE: By my math, the campaign’s contributions this June fell $455,410 short of doubling the $2,343,248 Perry’s campaign raised in the June period of 2005—about 10 percent shy of a doubling.)
Jim Lee of Houston, one of Perry’s state finance chairs, said: “This is a remarkable accomplishment and a ringing endorsement of Gov. Perry.” He noted that 95 percent of the contributors are from Texas, “showing that Texans continue to appreciate and value his leadership.”
I’m seeking reaction from Hutchison’s camp.
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July 6, 2009
UPDATED: Cruz, attorney general hopeful, touts contributions and donors including President George H.W. Bush
Ted Cruz, the state’s former solicitor general and a Republican aspirant for attorney general (with an asterisk), is set to reveal that he’s raised more than $1 million for his campaign from 500-plus donors in nearly 20 states.
The asterisk: Cruz plans to run next year only if Attorney General Greg Abbott doesn’t seek a third term. Many expect Abbott to run for lieutenant governor if Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst chooses not to do so; Dewhurst has indicated he might run for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat should she resign to focus on her expected gubernatorial bid.
Fresh from speaking at an East Texas “tea party” Saturday, Cruz said he’s encouraged by voters who believe Republicans have strayed from conservative values. “There is an incredible hunger for new leadership,” he said.
On the ground, it’ll be interesting to see if Cruz’s fundraising deters other Republicans — among them, state Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas and Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright — from trying for the AG post.
Among Democrats, Houston lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky has declared her candidacy; state Sen. Royce West of Dallas and former Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle has each said he could seek the job.
UPDATE: Cruz’s financial backers include some traditional heavy hitters in GOP primaries including San Antonio car dealer Red McCombs, Houston’s Robert Mosbacher (the former U.S. commerce secretary), Houston investors Windi Grimes and Patrick J. Moran, Midland businessman Clayton Williams, and Dallas investor Kenny Troutt. Austin’s John Paul DeJoria, who founded the Paul Mitchell hair-care business, likewise is listed in the campaign’s Sam Houston Circle, which means donors of $10,000 or more along with Jim Schneider of Austin, former chief financial officer for Dell Inc.
Other supporters: Alan Sager, former chairman of the Travis County Republican Party; Don Evans, former U.S. secretary of commerce; President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush of Houston; Heather Hunt Graham of Dallas, Ray Hunt’s daughter; Robert McNair of Houston, who owns the Houston Texans football team; and a former attorney general in Virginia, Jerry Kilgore.
Capitol insiders will take note of a former reporter in the mix; Pete Slover of Dripping Springs, governance counsel for the Pedernales Electric Cooperative and a former Capitol bureau writer for The Dallas Morning News, is among supporters who have given Cruz’s campaign less than $250. They’re grouped as Mirabeau Lamar Legends.
Look for much more information like this soon; candidate finance reports are due at the Texas Ethics Commission the middle of this month.
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June 30, 2009
Kirk Watson raised money AT Perry's, not WITH Gov. Perry
An array of state officials, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus, were squeezing in political fund-raisers this week in advance of the special legislative session starting Wednesday.
Among them: State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, lately mulling a gubernatorial bid. Watson had his shindig Monday at Perry’s Steakhouse in Austin (a restaurant presumably not picked as a kind of pre-campaign signal to Gov. Rick Perry).
Big picture: Every officeholder will be required to report cash on hand and money raised and spent through June in reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission by mid-July.
Little picture: Unlike during regular legislative sessions, officeholders aren’t barred from accepting contributions during special sessions. I’m guessing, though, that it’s less awkward to field donations before members are in session to avoid the appearance of soliciting contributions while drafting law.
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June 29, 2009
Dukes posts campaign finance reports
State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, has posted corrected campaign finance reports on her campaign Web site.
Dukes has long been promising to disclose details behind her campaign’s credit card purchases, and she told us last week that she’s not going to file corrected reports with the Texas Ethics Commission because it would be too costly to do so.
The ethics commission, which received a complaint against Dukes in 2007, considers the matter resolved because her campaign in December paid a $2,800 fine for failing to report required information.
Now, corrected reports from 2006 are on her Web site, along with an explanation.
“I apologize to anyone who felt I made a deliberate attempt to conceal information,” Dukes wrote. “That was never the case.”
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June 9, 2009
Hutchison intends an Austin fund-raiser later this month
She isn’t yet a formally declared gubernatorial candidate, but U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison remains intent on raising money toward challenging Gov. Rick Perry in the March GOP primary.
In what may be her first political event after the legislative session that ended June 1, Hutchison is set to attend an Austin lunch fund-raiser June 27. Guests are asked to donate $1,000 or $3,000 per couple.
Fetch the invitation here.
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May 27, 2009
McCaul takes a hit for Houston event featuring Rush Limbaugh; Franken will be in Austin a day later
I asked U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul’s campaign last week to fill me in on the Austin Republican’s plans to hold a Houston event this Thursday featuring America’s No. 1 conservative radio host, Rush Limbaugh. The only tidbit I fielded in return was a reminder that the gathering wouldn’t be open to reporters—unfortunately the norm for political fund-raisers.
But a Democratic group based in Washington this morning sent over the McCaul campaign’s Limbaugh invitation, fetchable here. The entry charge is $500 per person or couple (which kind of encourages buddying up for the cause).
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April 27, 2009
Texas Republicans "contest" Vice President Biden's Austin visit
The Republican Party of Texas is warming up for Vice President Joe Biden’s Austin visit Tuesday by throwing an online contest asking viewers to pick their favorite Biden gaffe.
In one of three video snippets strung together for consideration, then-Sen. Biden offers to test his IQ against a reporter. In another, he seems to characterize convenience store employees as hailing from India. And in the third, he finds Sarah Palin not the greatest foe for vice president.
Peek and/or play here.
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April 23, 2009
Biden plans to visit Austin's National Domestic Violence Hotline Center
Vice President Joe Biden plans to swing through Austin Tuesday, touring the National Domestic Violence Hotline Center before speaking at a private fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee, the White House announced today.
Retha Fielding, chief communications officer for the hotline center, said Biden has visited it before; as a Delaware senator, he was responsible for the hotline’s initial federal funding.
Biden is expected to address 40 guests at a lunch fund-raiser. He is penciled in to go to Houston for another fund-raiser Tuesday evening.
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Shoe drops; Sharp juiced his kitty with $2 million in loans
I reported last week that former State Comptroller John Sharp topped the field of U.S. Senate prospects with $2.4 million cash on hand at the end of March (see the posthere). But he didn’t volunteer at the time how much of his early haul was money taken in loans. I speculated then that if he raised most of his money, he’s a strong candidate.
Word comes today that Sharp’s big tally consists of a little more than $2 million in loans made or guaranteed by Sharp and about $515,000 in direct contributions.
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Austin lunch with Vice President Biden will run at least $5,000 per guest
I’ve come across more detail on Vice President Biden’s expected visit to Austin on Tuesday, though no confirmation of any public events.
Biden will be featured at a lunch reception in a private home. The fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee has a minimum entry charge of $5,000 per guest, though an invitation states that the committee is permitted by law to accept up to $30,400 per donor a year. The event’s hosts include Waco’s Audre and Bernard Rapoport and one of Austin’s leading Obama fans, Eugene Sepulveda.
To get aboard, go here.
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April 21, 2009
Vice President Biden expected in Austin in a week
It’s an official secret for now, but I’m told by Central Texas Democrats that Vice President Biden is expected in Austin a week from today to headline a private fund-raiser being pulled together by the Democratic National Committee, the entity that absorbed President Obama’s presidential campaign committee when Obama entered the White House.
The latest plan is for Biden to attend a fundraising luncheon in the home of Obama donors and, before or after, swing by the East Austin headquarters of Lance Armstrong’s Live Strong Foundation. (It could be the mix of official business—meaning a foundation visit or something of the like—and politics enables Biden to fly to Austin on Air Force Two, his government-assigned plane.)
I’ve also heard Democratic speculation about Biden addressing a joint session of the Republican-majority House and Senate—potentially a fine spectacle presuming Biden attempts a spirited defense of the federal stimulus package that’s been chewed upon by lawmakers and GOP Gov. Rick Perry.
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February 6, 2009
Houston mayor has raised $1.4 million toward U.S. Senate run, adviser says
Need a fresh political noodle?
Houston Mayor Bill White’s consultant says White has raised $1.4 million since he declared plans to run for the U.S. Senate in mid-December. That probably puts White ahead of all candidates either exploring or committed to chasing the Senate seat yet to be vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison, who has said she’ll formally declare her candidacy for governor this summer.
White’s consultant, Mustafa Tameez, noted that White is still mayor of the nation’s fourth-largest state and counts on a statewide pile of backers. “We’re keeping a very strong pace,” Tameez said.
Individual contributions for a Senate race must be raised in $2,300 increments. So it’s fair to say that White’s haul, which counts nearly $769,000 gathered between Dec. 15 and Dec. 31, demonstrates strength.
Houston lawyer Barbara Radnofsky, the Democrats’ 2006 Senate nominee, raised close to $1.5 million her entire campaign, while Rick Noriega, the Democratic candidate who challenged Sen. John Cornyn last year, raised $4.2 million.
According to year-ending finance filings, Cornyn outspent Noriega by $16.5 million to $4.2 million. Put another way, Cornyn spent about $3.80 for every vote he fielded. Noriega spent $1.21 for each vote he won. Cornyn carried 55 percent of the vote, or more than 4.3 million votes.
Among Republicans, state Sen. Florence Shapiro of Plano started raising money toward a possible U.S. Senate bid last summer. She has reported raising $544,652 through December.
Among other Republicans looking at a Senate run, Roger Williams, the former Texas secretary of state, reported raising $131,100 counting $100,000 he lent his start-up committee.
Michael Williams, chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission and another GOP Senate candidate, reported raising and spending no money as of Dec. 31. Elizabeth Ames Jones, his fellow commissioner and a possible Senate candidate, reported raising nearly $158,000; she spent about $12,500 including about $10,000 on a St. Louis lawyer.
Democrat John Sharp, who started his Senate committee in January, isn’t required to report his fund-raising totals until April.
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February 5, 2009
Majority leader headed to Austin; Hutchison may follow
I hear that U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison will soon hold an Austin fund-raiser for her incipient gubernatorial campaign—an event sure to be a thumb in the eye to Gov. Rick Perry, who like all state elected officials is barred by law from raising money during the legislative session and through the June veto period.
Until her plans are confirmed, politicos can count on a swoop-in from Harry Reid, the U.S. Senate majority leader. The Nevada senator will hold forth at a fund-raiser for his political kitty in about two weeks.
Cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 19 in Alexa and Blaine Wesner’s Westlake home. Suggested contributions range from $1,000 for a guest up to $10,000 for a host. RSVP to Jake Perry at jake@harryreid.com or (202) 544-5632.
And send me the transcript?
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November 7, 2008
Rep. Kino Flores under investigation for plane trips
Travis County prosecutors are investigating state Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, for taking discounted plane trips.
At issue is whether Flores adequately reimbursed the LaMantia family, who own a Budweiser distributorship in South Texas and are developing a $23 million horse racetrack in Hidalgo County.
Flores is chairman of the House committee that oversees gambling legislation.
His attorney, Roy Minton of Austin, confirmed his client is under investigation.
“The district attorney’s office is investigating how Kino paid for his travel expenses, which I believe was a proper way for such expenses to be paid,” Minton said.
Minton said his client hitched a ride on the LaMantia plane three times on trips between Austin and McAllen. He said Flores paid them $1,500, which is what he thought was fair market value.
Minton denied rumors that Flores is considering a plea offer in exchange for his resignation.
“There has been no offer or threat made by the district attorney,” Minton said.
Flores is a key ally of Speaker Tom Craddick, a Midland Republican, who helped finance his re-election. Craddick is locked in a tough re-election battle of his own, asking the 150-members to re-elect him as speaker.
Flores’s availability would be crucial to Craddick’s re-election.
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November 5, 2008
Craddick campaign spends $45,800 on flowers
Just as Republicans spent $150,000 to clothe Alaska governor Sarah Palin during her vice presidential run, a review of House Speaker Tom Craddick’s campaign records showed that, over the last couple of years, he spent $45,800 on flowers.
“Some of it’s for events that they have,” said Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee. “And they also give flowers to members for various situations — anniversaries, birthdays, deaths in the family. They give them to members whenever stuff like that happens.”
You have to wonder whether this bothers someone like Jim Murphy, a Republican state representative from Houston who just lost his re-election bid by 464 votes and probably could have used a little more help from Craddick.
The speaker already is facing some grumbling for having about $2 million left in his campaign with eight days to go until the election.
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November 3, 2008
Imagine it's Thursday and the election is over ...
Will you have your fill of politics once Tuesday’s election is over?
For everyone needing more to chew on, the University of Texas has pulled together a day-long gathering Thursday featuring at least two possible candidates for governor in 2010: U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Houston Mayor Bill White, a Democrat. State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, also is expected as part of a panel.
The event at the AT&T Conference Center, titled “Who’s Right? Who’s Left? What’s Next? Texas Politics and Policy Beyond 2008,”, the conference hosted by the LBJ School’s Center for Politics and Governance starts with a 10 a.m. coffee with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Hutchison penciled in to speak at lunch.
Later in the day, closing remarks are expected from White.
To RSVP, and to line up the free lunch, go here.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Campaign finance, Democratic politics, Governor, Presidential race, Republican politics, U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate
October 11, 2008
Dewhurst and Schwarzenegger, again
At least a couple years ago, maybe longer, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst hosted California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for a cozy fundraiser at an Austin hotel. The California ceo had done, or was going to do, the same for Dewhurst in the Golden State.
Well, Arnold’s going to be back Thursday and you’re invited.
Pony up $5,000 for lunch and a photo with the govern-ator. Lunch alone runs $1,000.
Fetch the invitation here.
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September 25, 2008
McCaul to raise money with Limbaugh (updated)
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh will headline a fundraiser early next month for U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, in San Antonio.
The fundraiser, the proceeds from which will go to McCaul’s reelection campaign and the Texas Republican Party, will be hosted by Lowry Mays, the founder of radio giant Clear Channel Communications and McCaul’s father-in-law. Premier Radio Networks, which is part of the Clear Channel family, syndicates Limbaugh’s show.
Tickets start at $250 per person. The best frills (a signed book, a VIP reception, a photo op) go to couples who give $10,000.
Jack Ladd, McCaul’s campaign spokesman, said, “Just because Rush Limbaugh is attending a fundraiser for Michael doesn’t mean they agree on every issue and we believe Michael’s voting record speaks for itself.”
Asked to name an issue on which they disagree, Ladd repeated, “I think Michael’s voting record speaks for itself.”
See other invitations for political fundraisers floating around out there? Send them our way.
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September 18, 2008
Houston legislator with flooded district slates Austin fundraiser
I wrote in today’s newspaper about some candidates for state office postponing fundraisers due to Hurricane Ike. Houston Rep. John Davis, a Republican seeking re-election against Democrat Sherrie Matula, isn’t yet one of them.
Davis intends to stick with plans for a fundraiser Oct. 7 at the Austin Club near the Capitol, his consultant said today, though that could change in light of Hurricane Ike.
Matula has similarly hoped to have an October fundraiser in Austin, though her campaign manager said today that plan is on hold at least through this week.
The consultant, Allen Blakemore, said that because campaigns and fundraising are compromised in the Houston area by Ike fallout, candidates need events in other cities to prepare for the Nov. 4 election.
Blakemore said Davis has been focused lately on making sure supplies are delivered to constituents in low-lying communities hard hit by the hurricane.
Davis’s district takes in all of part of the Clear Lake area, Taylor Lake Village, Seabrook, Shoreacres, El Lago, League City, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Webster, Friendswood and La Porte.
“He had a lot of flooding,” Blakemore said. “And most of his district is without power and has still a lot of flooding and cleanup work to be done.”
Generally, Blakemore said, “you’re going to see folks from the Houston area looking to other parts of the state to do campaign fundraising… With little ability to raise funds in the district, with campaign activities in the district and throughout Houston suspended, you have to look elsewhere — and Austin is a logical place to look.”
Martha Griffin, Matula’s campaign manager, said the challenger has shut down fundraising and campaigning this week, though the Democrat has intended to hold an Oct. 2 fundraiser in Austin.
Griffin stressed that unlike Davis, Matula has not sent out invitations to the October event. She said Matula is also not hunting sponsors at this time.
Griffin said the campaign will revisit political plans next week.
Griffin said: “It seems irresponsible for Davis to be going ahead with a fundraiser that’s sponsored by lobbyists at the same time his district is flooded, we have widespread power outages and frankly, nobody we know has heard from John Davis in terms of helping the community.”
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May 9, 2008
Romney raises Austin money for Cornyn
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, juiced his already-bulging campaign kitty Friday with a fund-raiser in Austin featuring Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who might prove to be Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential choice.
Word is that Romney has a reunion of Texas donors in Houston on Friday night, to be followed by an event raising money for McCain’s campaign on Saturday.
U.S. Reps. John Carter, R-Round Rock, and Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, were among the 45 people at the event at Austin’s Headliners Club, helping the campaign raise about $50,000.
Kevin McLaughlin, Cornyn’s campaign spokesman, said: “We’re always looking for creative ways to raise money. We are not shy about asking people for money.”
I wondered if former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Republican who outlasted Romney in the presidential race, is next up for a private shindig with Cornyn. He’s not.
Tony Gray, a spokesman for the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, state Rep. Rick Noriega, was unaware of Romney pausing to help Cornyn. “More evidence that his machine is out there moving and working,” Gray said.
Gray said the blogosphere has gone nuts over a new poll suggesting Cornyn is barely ahead of Noriega. Peek at it here.
McLaughlin said he was “flummoxed/dumbfounded/perplexed” by some of the poll results including an indication that Noriega is better known in Texas than Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
“I find it hard to take a poll seriously conducted by Daily Kos that finds a state representative in Texas is better known than Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton,” McLaughlin said.
Gray said there was no intent to cut the Texas press out of a national conference call Noriega’s campaign did to tout the poll at midday Friday. The campaign’s new strategic communications firm sent out notice of the call from a national press list, he said.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment Categories: Campaign finance, Republican politics, U.S. Senate
February 25, 2008
Judge restores campaign ads in House race
A pro-gambling group and the election opponent of Rep. Nathan Macias, R-Bulverde, can resume advertisements targeting the incumbent, a Travis County judge ruled Monday.
State District Judge Scott Jenkins dissolved a temporary order granted Friday that had ordered the pro-gambling group to pull its negative TV commercial and required Macias’ opponent, Doug Miller, to document the source of the money for his advertisement to a Travis County court.
Jenkins strongly criticized the broad nature of the temporary restraining order and that it was obtained with only Macias’ lawyer present. State District Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted Macias’ request Friday.
“Quite frankly, I’m quite concerned this TRO shut down someone’s campaign on the last weekend,” Jenkins said.
Texans for Economic Development, an umbrella organization for horse- and dog-racing interests, had been running advertisements targeting Macias and two other Republican state representatives, Phil King of Weatherford and Betty Brown of Terrell.
The judge noted that King and Brown also were seeking similar court orders to stop ads against them: “If I granted this, I guess I’d have every candidate in the state coming to me,” Jenkins said.
The incumbents complained that the group may have been using corporate contributions to pay for the campaign advertising. Under Texas law, corporations may not contribute to campaigns.
Texans for Economic Development said it did not use the corporate donations for the political advertising but for overhead, which is allowed under the law. The group reported total contributions of more than $1 million as of December; of that $118,000 came from corporations.
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January 24, 2008
State senators' campaign moolah
San Antonio Sen. Jeff Wentworth may have started 2008 with nothing in his campaign account — see his take here — but his 30 Senate colleagues had a combined $18 million-plus, according to their latest campaign finance reports.
The details:
SENATOR CASH ON HAND as of 12/31/07
John Whitmire $3,467,240.92
Rodney Ellis 1,908,896.35
Troy Fraser 1,221,806.06
Kirk Watson 1,195,945.87
Judith Zaffirini 1,120,200.43
Kim Brimer 1,101,053.05
Jane Nelson 1,008,399.40
Mike Jackson 957,868.19
Florence Shapiro 853,580.02
Royce West 808,678.41
Steve Ogden 710,228.39
Kevin Eltife 586,067.97
Kel Seliger 519,871.31
Kyle Janek 503,237.57
Tommy Williams 437,837.06
Robert Duncan 365,315.57
Chris Harris 321,889.74
Craig Estes 211,921.75
Glenn Hegar 184,953.00
Leticia Van de Putte 176,519.73
Dan Patrick 146,970.62
Mario Gallegos 121,460.86
Robert Nichols 116,320.11
Bob Deuell 109,294.92
John Carona 104,161.29
Carlos Uresti 90,517.85
Eddie Lucio 57,654.77
Juan Hinojosa 35,694.51
Eliot Shapleigh 15,701.91
Jeff Wentworth 0.00
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Campaign finance, Texas Senate
January 17, 2008
Perry, Bush reuniting at Washington fundraiser
Gov. Rick Perry will be reunited with President Bush at a February fundraiser in Washington. The gala organized by the Republican Governors Association (which Perry chairs this year) might give Perry a chance to publicly elaborate on why Bush has never been a fiscal conservative in Perry’s eyes. Perry aired his view at an Iowa stop in December that was placed on YouTube.com. (See our December account here.)
According to the invitation to the Republican Governors Association’s Feb. 25 “celebration of America’s leaders” — fetchable by clicking here — contributors can get in for as little as $1,000, though folks also have the option of volunteering to raise up to $500,000 for the association.
Mildly intriguing in the wake of Perry’s characterization of Bush in December: It looks as if Perry might not directly introduce Bush, his predecessor as governor, at the dinner. That’s because the dinner chairman is South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Comings and goings, Elections, Governor, Money, On a Lighter Note, Presidential race
November 16, 2007
Second Obama fundraiser Saturday, with barbecue
If Saturday afternoon’s $25 a person fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama at The Backyard on Highway 71 isn’t enough for Austin-area supporters, there will be a more exclusive evening barbecue — admission $500 up to $2,300, which probably gets contributors closer to elbow rubbing with the Democratic presidential candidate.
Peek at details here or leap to an RSVP.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Presidential race, Presidential race
November 13, 2007
Huckabee and the Clintons coming soon to Texas
Next week looks to be Arkansas Week in Texas politics with two former Arkansas governors and a former Arkansas first lady touching down to raise money for competing presidential campaigns.
Bill Clinton, the former Arkansas governor who served eight years as president, will be featured Monday at a Dallas lunch raising money for the former Arkansas first lady, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton. Then the senator appears Wednesday in Houston for “Countdown to ‘08 Cocktails.”
Meanwhile, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, seeking the Republican presidential nod, is penciled in for an Austin fundraiser Monday evening.
Peek at the Clinton invitations here and here. Scope the Huckabee invite here.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Presidential race, Presidential race
November 1, 2007
Giuliani planning to raise money in San Antonio
Rudy Giuliani, the front-running Republican aspirant for president, plans to hold what supporters are calling his last Texas event of 2007 in San Antonio. He’s got a fundraiser penciled in for Nov. 19 at the Westin La Cantera Resort.
Intrigued enough to pony up? E-mail whitneybowles@joinrudy2008.com.
Giuliani’s campaign said Thursday the former mayor of New York might also hold a public event, but nothing is settled.
Loose thought: Maybe “Texas Monthly Talks” will land a remote interview with Giuliani outside the Alamo, which is where a fourth-place gubernatorial candidate launched his candidacy in February 2005.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Campaign finance, Presidential race
October 31, 2007
Texas Democrats offer fundraiser with Paul Begala
Dying for dinner with Democratic pundit Paul Begala? The Texas Democratic Party is throwing a supper party fundraiser featuring Begala on Thursday Nov. 8 at the Hilton Austin, 500 East Fourth St., in Austin.
Tickets can be had for $500 for two people up to $10,000 for 10 entries to a VIP reception plus the dinner. Learn more from Katelyn Patterson at 512-478-9800 or kpatterson@txdemocrats.org.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance
October 24, 2007
Bill, Rudy and Nancy expected in Austin
Hunting campaign cash, three national political players are swinging through Austin at the end of this week. It would cost about $2,100 to hobnob with all of them, based on minimum entry fees listed on invitations to the separate events featuring Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuiliani, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who are Democrats.
Richardson, trying to break into the first flight of Democratic presidential candidates, is penciled in to attend a hotel luncheon Friday hosted by the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin followed by a lunch reception for his campaign at an East Austin restaurant. The association lunch, starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Austin Hilton Hotel, costs $40. The 12:30 p.m. campaign lunch at Nuevo Leon, 1501 East Sixth St., costs a minimum of $100. RSVP to Valerie Chraca at 202-719-1398.
Later Friday, Giuliani (endorsed last week by Texas Gov. Rick Perry) is due at a cocktail reception in a private residence. The campaign seeks minimum donations of $1,000 per person or they can leap to $4,600, with the understanding that half the money will be spent on activities related to the GOP primaries and the rest on the 2008 general election, in keeping with federal law. Dial Whitney Bowles at 713-783-1415 for information.
Pelosi, D-California, will be featured at a Sunday reception benefiting the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Guests can attend for $1,000 and up — way up to $28,500 for a guest to join the “Speaker’s Cabinet,” according to the invitation. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, is listed as a special guest. Call Missy Jurek at 202-485-3455 to learn more.
Anyone making the three-party splurge is encouraged to write me. Just say why you did it.
October 15, 2007
Watts has more money, but Cornyn outraised him
San Antonio lawyer Mikal Watts (he of the bulging pockets) edged U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in cash on hand through September, though Cornyn tripled the money raised by Watts in the three months starting July 1.
Watts, eyeing his first run for public office, is four months into exploring the Senate race.
According to fundraising reports updated Monday, Watts’ fundraising barely outpaced the Web-centric efforts of state Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, another explorer. But Noriega trails Cornyn and Watts in cash on hand by more than $6 million—potentially the difference between plentiful TV advertising versus almost none and private plane travel versus hoofing it (a slight exaggeration).
Watts ended the quarter with $8.6 million cash on hand. Cornyn, who raised more than $1.7 million in the period, had $6.6 million cash on hand. Noriega reported $510,314 cash on hand.
Noriega and Watts, who could face each other in the Democratic primary in March, each raised more than $500,000 in the three months starting July 1, with Watts collecting $570,374 and Noriega tallying $530,722.
Noriega also loaned his campaign $50,000. Watts, who has a personal fortune to put into the Senate race, added $3.69 million in personal loans to his campaign, increasing the money he has donated or loaned his campaign since June 1 to $7.5 million.
Barbara Radnofsky, the Democrats’ 2006 nominee for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kay Bailey Hutchison, advised against judging the fundraising numbers. She’s not picking sides in a possible Watts-Noriega race, but she said she senses big Democratic gains regardless of fundraising differences.
“Texas is going Democratic; that attitude is going to affect people increasingly in January, February and March,” she said. “It could be there’s a massive Democratic sweep and money is not as important as last election.”
On a related front, Emil Reichstadt of Dallas, a lawyer who announced he was exploring a run for the Democratic Senate nomination last spring, confirmed he’s shifting his sights to a bid for the Texas House seat held by Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas. He said party activists encouraged him to make the move to spare the party a U.S. Senate primary runoff.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Money, U.S. Senate
September 24, 2007
Sharp tells Dewhurst: Not so fast
Five years after Republican David Dewhurst defeated John Sharp for lieutenant governor, Sharp’s listed as a “platinum” fundraiser and contributor to Dewhurst’s campaign. That’d be a heck of a turnaround for the Democrat and former state comptroller, who lost to Dewhurst by more than 250,000 votes in 2002.
Not so fast, Sharp said in a letter he had hand-delivered to Dewhurst’s Capitol office on Monday.
“As you know, I am not a supporter of yours politically,” Sharp writes, “and I wanted to call this mistake to your attention if you are not already aware of it.”
Sharp’s letter states that he’s listed along with Brint Ryan as a contributor on an invitation to an Oct. 18 event. Ryan helms Ryan & Company, where Sharp is a partner.
Mike Wintemute, speaking for Dewhurst’s campaign, said Sharp has been listed on materials for Dewhurst previously—without Sharp complaining. But “the lieutenant governor is pleased to honor Mr. Sharp’s request,” Wintemute said.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance
July 16, 2007
Bell-ringing amount raised by Perry
GOP Gov. Rick Perry, who hasn’t ruled out running for governor a third time in 2010, raised nearly $900,000 in the few days he was allowed by law to corral campaign cash — after the veto period following the regular legislative session.
Asked why Perry is raising money, spokesman Robert Black said: “You never know what the future holds.”
Their statement:
Texans for Rick Perry Reports $1.4 million Cash-On-Hand
$881,488 raised since June 18th
AUSTIN - Today the Texans for Rick Perry Campaign reported more than $1.4 million cash-on-hand including $881,488 raised from June 18th - June 30th.
“The Governor is humbled by the tremendous support he continues to receive from Texans all across the state,” said spokesman Robert Black. “In the coming years, Gov. Perry looks forward to continuing to put conservative principles to work in state government by increasing transparency, reducing taxes, protecting our border and improving the education systems in Texas.”
#
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Elections, Governor
June 11, 2007
Report: Roger Williams resigning, could run for office
An Austin TV station reported Sunday that Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams intends to step down as of July 1.
It’d be no shock if Williams is leaving. Past secretaries of state—gubernatorial nominees mainly in charge of overseeing state elections—have gone on to elected office.
Among them: U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo; former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk; and former Gov. Mark White. Also, the late Bob Bullock won election as state comptroller and then lieutenant governor after serving as secretary of state.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Elections, Governor
April 12, 2007
Gift-definition proposal clears House
House members today sent the Senate a measure by Rep. Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin, requiring public officials to report the fair-market value of gifts.
Senators last month advanced a measure by Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, requiring officials to disclose the value of gifts they receive of $250 or more.
Look for the bodies to sort their differences, or not, by the end of the session May 28.
Existing law requires reporting of a gift of $250 in value or more, but not the precise value.
The Texas Ethics Commission advised last year that a state official need not report the value of a gift of cash or cash equivalent on his or her personal financial disclosure statement.
The issue of cash gifts dogged the commission after it was revealed that Bill Ceverha, a member of the state Employee Retirement System board, took $100,000 from Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, the state’s largest individual campaign donor.
Initially, Ceverha reported receiving a gift from Perry without identifying how much.
Permalink | | Categories: Campaign finance, Ethics, House
April 11, 2007
House avoids vote on so-called Hecht measure
House Speaker Tom Craddick shot down an amendment Wednesday that would have required judges to more quickly report their campaign contributions. Craddick ruled it was not germane to a bill that dealt with electronic filing of campaign finance reports.
Judges can raise money for 120 days after their election. But they often don’t have to report their contributors for several months after that 120-day period ends. The amendment by Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, said judges had to report within 15 days of the end of the 120-day contribution period.
The House appeared poised to support the amendment after voting against tabling it. But then came the point of order and, well, that was that.
The context: The Dallas Morning News reported last week that Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht received $16,000 in recent months from a political action committee funded largely by Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, even as the court prepared to hear a case involving Perry’s business.
Political action committees report their contributions monthly, which is how the contributions to Hecht came to light.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Campaign finance
