Democrats pulling in more cash for campaigns than republicans

[bigtree]

Sunday, April 4, 2010; 10:14 AM

The Republican Party's strategy since early last year of lock-step opposition to the Obama administration's major legislative initiatives has proved to be less bankable than some party leaders may have anticipated.

Eight months before congressional elections, House and Senate Democratic candidates exceed in nearly every important campaign fundraising category. Democratic House lawmakers appear likely to reverse their seven-cycle record of being outspent by House Republicans, according to recent finance reports.

Democrats in both chambers are enjoying the traditional advantages of majority-party status -- and then some. They lead in donations by political action committees, by committees affiliated with the national political parties or with House and Senate leaders, and in individual contributions to incumbent lawmakers. In some instances, their lead exceeds what the Republicans had when that party controlled both chambers in the 2005-06 midterm election cycle.

___ Democrats say their higher tallies so far are just the beginning, because campaign cash usually follows political momentum and Obama's health-care triumph may have ended a political slide.

"There's been a real kick-up of wind in Democratic party sails," said Jonathan Mantz, a former finance director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. "Success will breed success, and the energy will bring new resources" to congressional candidates.


read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/03/AR2010040301050_pf.html

[Deep13]

1. 2010: Republicans Still Suck.

Why can't that be the D.'s slogan?

[bigtree]

2. Democrats Deliver

... positive appeals work best

[Deep13]

3. True, but we need them both. EDIT

Yes We Did!?

[socialist_n_TN]

6. Are you sure about that?.......................

Positive is fine, but you BETTER have a Carville-like "rapid response team" ready to go and not let Republican attacks go unrebutted for longer than 48 hours IN THE MEDIA. It's fine to deny to a news source, but make sure you get a TV ad denying it too. In addition, I'd attack myself every chance I get. Tie them ALL to the Teabaggers shouting racial slurs.

[bigtree]

7. responding is fine and necessary

... but the aim of most of the attacks is to take our candidates off-message. Voters usually don't distinguish between political arguments between candidates as much as they just see both parties arguing. It's essential that we give voters something to fight for, in our defenses against the diversions.

[socialist_n_TN]

8. Picture this.....................

An ad starts with the Teabaggers spitting on Rep. Cleaver. Rep. Lewis talking about racial slurs. (Depending on the district) Barney Frank talking about homophobic slurs. Broken windows at Dem HQs. Then a pic of the Republican nominee. The announcer comes in and says something along the lines of "While our candidate was fighting for HCR, our opponent was fighting WITH the extremists and FOR the big insurance industry. Who do YOU want to represent you in Congress? My opponent (pic of spitting on Cleaver/pic of Republican candidate side by side) or an America for ALL Americans?" It neatly ties the Republicans to extremist and is positive at the same time. And most importantly, IT'S TRUE!

[bigtree]

9. I like it

[socialist_n_TN]

12. Thanks. I was just trying to show..............

how you can have an aggressive campaign ad that's positive, while at the same time tying the opponent to extremists. And, as I said, IT WOULD ALL BE TRUE!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. But I thought we were............doomed!!!!!

:sarcasm:

Seriously, though, IMHO the only way that Republicans make 1994-esque gains is for Obama and/or the Democratic Party to stumble....and I mean, BADLY. Oh, yeah, and if people don't get out to vote. Right now, the GOP seems to have a "teabagger" program, specifically many of their "establishment" candidates are facing challenges from the RIGHT that are draining cash and other party resources. The RNC sex scandal probably isn't going to help them much either. :rofl: I'm not suggesting that we'll have it easy in 2010 but as long as enough people come out to vote to support our candidates, our losses won't be 1994-like.

[spanone]

5. didn't you hear? the media is declaring democrats DOA come november

[annabanana]

10. Is that just because the big corporate bucks haven't arrived yet?

What's the score on Deep Pocket "scores"?

[bigtree]

11. this coincides with reports that big money conservatives were holding back

.... from contributing to the republican party in the face of the divisiveness caused in their party by Steele and co.. (no concrete evidence of that yet tho...)

[bigtree]

13. .

[Greyhound]

14. In other news, the sun rose this morning. n/t

[bigtree]

15. it's a reversal of a trend of more money support for republican candidates

... some sunshine in the face of doom-and-gloomers

[applegrove]

16. Woohoo!

:woohoo: