Democratic newcomer drops cool million on 1st District congressional campaign
Shawn O’Connor, the test-prep entrepreneur making his first run for public office, loaned his congressional campaign another $500,000 last month. The Bedford Democrat, who moved to New Hampshire from New York in 2013, has now ponied up $1 million of his own money in his bid to become the Democratic nominee in the 1st District.
O’Connor’s million dollar stake places him in the top tier of self-funding congressional candidates. The Center for Responsive Politics reports just 16 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives spent over $1 million of their own money in 2012.
Self-funding candidates have a surprisingly poor track record in federal races. In 2010 for example, the CPR calculated that fewer than 20% of the candidates who spent $500,000 or more of their own money were elected.
Arizona State University professor Jennifer A. Steen, author of Self-Financed Candidates in Congressional Elections, explains. “You can call it arrogance or naivete, to be more charitable,” she told the Washington Post. “They don’t tend to learn the lessons of past self-financers, and they don’t tend to recognize their own deficiencies.”
In the second quarter of this year, O’Connor also reported raising $47,514 from others, including $11,156 in small donations under $200. Most of the larger donations were from out of state. O’Connor raised just $2,275 from the six Granite Staters who contributed $200 or more to his campaign.
In addition to his $500,000 loan, O’Connor reported a $39,362 personal debt for money he spent on an exploratory committee “testing the water.” This likely included expenses for the short-lived “Draft Shawn” campaign. That effort was managed by an experienced operative and produced a professional website and social media campaign which now redirect to official campaign sites.
An independent "Draft Shawn for New Hampshire” committee was registered with the Federal Election Commission in January but did not file any reports indicating receipts or disbursements. As a “non-connected” draft committee, supporters could have raised money to encourage O’Connor to become a candidate but could not have coordinated with him on that effort.
At the time, O'Connor told John DiStaso that he was “aware” of the draft effort and considered it “very flattering.” He officially entered the race in early February.
7/24/15 update: The "Draft Shawn for New Hampshire” mid-year FEC report indicates the committee received $1676 in small donations and spent $1420. Disbursements included $1360 in reimbursement expenses for executive director Mike McCollum and $622 for campaign materials.