$500,000+ haul more than $120,000 greater than funds raised by any Minnesota incumbent or challenger this decade for Q1 of an election year; Bachmann Q1 receipts still pending

Congressional hopeful Tarryl Clark follows up her recent first ballot endorsement by the DFL with historically unprecedented fundraising numbers at this stage in the election cycle for a Minnesota U.S. House candidate.

Clark’s announcement on Tuesday that she raised $505,000 from January through March of 2010 marks the largest first quarter haul of an election year this decade.

A Smart Politics analysis of Federal Election Commission data since redistricting finds that Clark’s tally of more than a half million dollars is more than $120,000 higher than the amount raised by any challenger or incumbent in the first quarter of an election year dating back to at least the 2002 election cycle.

Of course, whether Clark’s record will hold after fundraising numbers by all Minnesota U.S. House candidates are released by April 15th remains to be seen. Michele Bachmann, whose seat Clark is attempting to win, already raised in excess of that amount ($591,000+) during the 4th quarter of 2009.

Smart Politics examined Clark’s fundraising tally versus those for each of the 64 Democratic and Republican incumbents and challengers who appeared on the general election ballot across the state’s eight congressional districts since 2002.

The candidate who previously held the highest January-March fundraising mark during an election year was Republican Erik Paulsen, who raised $382,819 in the first quarter of 2008 in his 3rd CD campaign.

Rounding out the Top 5 are DFLer Tim Walz ($353,044 in Q1 2008), Michele Bachmann ($346,644 in Q1 2008), and former DFL U.S. Representative Bill Luther ($236,945 in Q1 2002).

Clark’s gaudy fundraising numbers – vis-à-vis those of her predecessors – are the result of a variety of factors: the strength of her own candidacy, the fact there is more money in politics today than at any point in U.S. political history, the controversial nature of the district’s GOP incumbent, the fact that her DFL primary opponent is also well-funded, and the recent historical competitiveness of her 6th Congressional District.

Smart Politics recently reported that the 6th CD has been the 11th most competitive U.S. House district in the nation over the past four election cycles.

Those 2010 candidates most likely to challenge Clark’s fundraising record (Michele Bachmann, Erik Paulsen) will release their fundraising numbers within the next week. Clark nonetheless will likely hold the largest Q1 election year mark for a challenger.

DFL candidate Maureen Reed will challenge Clark in August’s primary for the right to face Bachmann in November.

First Quarter Election Year Fundraising by Minnesota U.S. House Candidates, 2002-2010

Candidate
#
Party
Status
Year
Amount
Tarryl Clark
6
DFL
Challenger
2010
$505,000
Erik Paulsen
3
GOP
Challenger (open)
2008
$382,819
Tim Walz
1
DFL
Incumbent
2008
$353,044
Michele Bachmann
6
GOP
Incumbent
2008
$346,644
Bill Luther
2
DFL
Incumbent*
2002
$236,945
Mark Kennedy
6
GOP
Incumbent*
2002
$230,915
Mark Kennedy
6
GOP
Incumbent
2004
$220,042
Keith Ellison
5
DFL
Incumbent
2008
$198,535
John Kline
2
GOP
Incumbent
2008
$194,106
Ashwin Madia
3
DFL
Challenger (open)
2008
$192,874
John Kline
2
GOP
Incumbent
2006
$189,833
Patty Wetterling
6
DFL
Challenger (open)
2006
$179,123
Jim Oberstar
8
DFL
Incumbent
2004
$169,603
Jim Oberstar
8
DFL
Incumbent
2008
$164,707
John Kline
2
GOP
Incumbent
2004
$131,282
Gil Gutknecht
1
GOP
Incumbent
2002
$127,092
Tim Walz
1
DFL
Challenger
2006
$127,042
El Tinklenberg
6
DFL
Challenger
2008
$126,925
Gil Gutknecht
1
GOP
Incumbent
2004
$123,672
Collin Peterson
7
DFL
Incumbent
2006
$113,833
Teresa Daly
2
DFL
Challenger
2004
$109,268
Betty McCollum
4
DFL
Incumbent
2008
$105,472
Gil Gutknecht
1
GOP
Incumbent
2006
$105,101
Betty McCollum
4
DFL
Incumbent
2002
$103,669
Colleen Rowley
2
DFL
Challenger
2006
$98,867
Jim Oberstar
8
DFL
Incumbent
2006
$97,070
Betty McCollum
4
DFL
Incumbent
2004
$90,360
Jim Ramstad
3
GOP
Incumbent
2002
$88,476
Jim Ramstad
3
GOP
Incumbent
2004
$87,918
Michele Bachmann
6
GOP
Challenger (open)
2006
$81,172
Jim Oberstar
8
DFL
Incumbent
2002
$69,412
Betty McCollum
4
DFL
Incumbent
2006
$62,208
Steve Sarvi
2
DFL
Challenger
2008
$61,108
Jim Ramstad
3
GOP
Incumbent
2006
$61,060
Collin Peterson
7
DFL
Incumbent
2008
$50,050
Martin Sabo
5
DFL
Incumbent
2004
$48,401
Collin Peterson
7
DFL
Incumbent
2002
$43,175
Brian Davis
1
GOP
Challenger
2008
$34,491
Martin Sabo
5
DFL
Incumbent
2002
$31,810
Patrice Bataglia
4
GOP
Challenger
2004
$31,310
Keith Ellison
5
DFL
Challenger (open)
2006
$17,185
Collin Peterson
7
DFL
Incumbent
2004
$15,609
Steve Andreason
1
DFL
Challenger
2002
$9,759
Barb Davis White
5
GOP
Challenger
2008
$8,650
David E. Sturrock
7
GOP
Challenger
2004
$7,628
Clyde Billington
4
GOP
Challenger
2002
$5,905
Michael J. Barrett
7
GOP
Challenger
2006
$5,390
Ed Matthews
4
GOP
Challenger
2008
$3,305
Obi Sium
4
GOP
Challenger
2006
$2,625
John Kline
2
GOP
Challenger
2002
$2,170
Daniel Mathias
5
GOP
Challenger
2004
$1,485
Bob Lemen
8
GOP
Challenger
2002
$120
Darryl Stanton
3
DFL
Challenger
2002
$0
Daniel Nielsen Mathias
5
GOP
Challenger
2002
$0
Janet Robert
6
GOP
Challenger
2002
$0
Dan Stevens
7
GOP
Challenger
2002
$0
Leigh Pomeroy
1
DFL
Challenger
2004
$0
Deborah Watts
3
DFL
Challenger
2004
$0
Patty Wetterling
6
DFL
Challenger
2004
$0
Mark Groettum
8
GOP
Challenger
2004
$0
Wendy Wilde
3
DFL
Challenger
2006
$0
Alan Fine
5
GOP
Challenger (open)
2006
$0
Rod Grams
8
GOP
Challenger
2006
$0
Glen Menze
7
GOP
Challenger
2008
$0
Michael Cummins
8
GOP
Challenger
2008
$0

* Denotes incumbents running in new districts. Note: Includes Republican and Democratic incumbents and challengers who appeared on the general election ballot. Q1 2010 fundraising numbers for most candidates have not yet been released. FEC data compiled by Smart Politics.

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1 Comment

  1. kirk the Conservative Jerk on April 8, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    Here is one for all you college students out there –

    04/17/2009
    Limit of 3 Percent on Tuition Increases
    Tarryl Clark voted NO
    and the amendment was rejected (32 – 33)

    source- http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=54674

    HER VOTE WOULD HAVE REVERSED THE DECISION. Instead you tuition goes up just as fast a the cost of healthcare. SEE THE PROBLEM WITH RISING TUITION?
    WHY DID SHE DO THAT?

    Also look what party who sponsored the bill to limit college tuition cost increases in Minnesota.
    IT WAS THE REPUBLICANS!

    YOU COLLEGE STUDENTS NEED TO STOP VOTING BLINDLY FOR DEMOCRATS! Because, leaders like her will stab you in the back, and here was the proof.

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