2nd District fundraising report: A Kuster blowout
There’s not much of a contest in the 2nd District to see who can build the biggest campaign war chest. Incumbent Ann Kuster, who is living up to her reputation for being a prodigious fundraiser, has raised over $2.4 million for the election cycle and reported having over $1.9 million on hand at the end of June.
Contrast that with her Republican challengers.
Former House Majority Leader Jack Flanagan, who formally entered the race in mid-March, reported having raised just $30,591, which included a $10,000 personal loan, and had $18,669 on hand at the end of June.
His Republican opponent, former state Rep. Jim Lawrence, put up similar numbers in his first reporting period. Lawrence reported raising $31,367, which included $6,000 in personal loans. He ended June with $20,056 on hand.
A third Republican, state Rep. Eric Estevez (who has been in the news recently), has not filed any reports with the Federal Election Commission and presumably has not met the FEC’s $5,000 threshold for contributions or expenditures.
Kuster ‘plunged into the fund-raising fray with gusto’
In early 2013, two months after Kuster first took the oath of office, Boston Globe reported congressional newcomers had been told to reserve two hours a day for committee hearings, floor votes and constituent meetings but to “devote at least four hours each day to the tedious task of raising money — so-called dialing for dollars.”
Kuster, reporter Tracy Jan noted, “plunged into the fund-raising fray with gusto.”