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Q3: Congressional Breakdown

moneyWhile Election Day 2015 is nearly upon us, we shouldn’t forget about 2016.

With all FEC reports now in, we take a look at the results for every congressional district.

The third quarter runs from July 1st, 2015 to September 30th, 2015.

Below we’ve included the top-line numbers for every district in the commonwealth, which includes the amounts raised, spent, and current cash on hand. Also, each incumbent is identified in italics along with their PVI and the year they were first sworn into Congress.

PA-1

Rep. Bob Brady-D+28-1998

Raised: $23,749

Spent: $47,678

COH: $621,301

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/897/201510159002899897/201510159002899897.pdf

The influential Philly Congressman has plenty of cash to give to his fellow Democrats.

PA-2

Rep. Chaka Fattah-D+38-1995

Raised: $13,500

Spent: $34,602

COH: $2,607

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/467/201510159003092467/201510159003092467.pdf

As has been noted, Fattah’s report was horrific considering the primary trouble he is facing. The best revelation, however, has to be that Fattah received just one donation from an individual (as opposed to groups or PACs) through the entire three months.

Brian Gordon

Raised: $9,150

Spent: $3,487

COH: 18,210

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/249/201510159002927249/201510159002927249.pdf

The Lower Merion Township Commissioner entered the race just about a week out from the deadline.

Daniel Muroff

Raised: $174,235

Spent: $9,919

COH: $164,315

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/779/201510159002911779/201510159002911779.pdf

The Philly Ninth Ward Leader had the most impressive performance of any PA-2 candidate this quarter, even though he entered the race in August.

Note: State Rep. Brian Sims is also running in the Democratic primary but he entered after the fundraising period ended.

PA-3

Rep. Mike Kelly-R+8-2011

Raised: $238,241

Spent: $106,448

COH: $524,830

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/148/201510159002916148/201510159002916148.pdf

Given Rep. Kelly’s district and his consistent fundraising, he shouldn’t have any problems on his road to re-election.

PA-4

Rep. Scott Perry-R+9-2013

Raised: $55,107

Spent: $30,711

COH: $192,504

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/390/201510159002901390/201510159002901390.pdf

While this total isn’t impressive, there’s no real opposition emerging to challenge Rep. Perry.

PA-5

Rep. Glenn Thompson-R+8-2009

Raised: $238,416

Spent: $147,148

COH: $381,402

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/973/201510159003088973/201510159003088973.pdf

Rep. Thompson gave $10,500 to PA GOP candidates, including $2,500 to the State Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman.

PA-6

Rep. Ryan Costello-R+2-2015

Raised: $251,260

Spent: $94,780

COH: $739,243

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/982/201510159002985982/201510159002985982.pdf

The freshman Congressman is bringing in cash at a good pace as he approaches his first shot at re-election.

Mike Parrish

Raised: $28,918

Spent: $48,094

COH: $26,445

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/377/201510159003025377/201510159003025377.pdf

As we’ve pointed out, these are horrible numbers for the Democratic challenger. This seat should be competitive but a glance at these two sets of numbers shows that is simply not the case right now.

Note: You can check out our in-depth comparison here. Additionally, Joe Denham dropped out of the Democratic primary.

PA-7

Rep. Pat Meehan-R+2-2011

Raised: $211,699

Spent: $142,040

COH: $2,077,573

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/277/201510159002941277/201510159002941277.pdf

Congressman Meehan continues to rake in the cash. There’s a reason this district is not thought to be competitive by prognosticators and Meehan’s fundraising ability is a big part of it.

Lindy Li

Raised: $135,235

Spent: $11,201

COH: $250,143

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/901/201510249003239901/201510249003239901.pdf

Could this 24 year-old be for real? Her totals are decent and she is doing it without party or PAC help. She’s a long way from being a real threat to Meehan but she is definitely a hard-worker and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Mary Ellen Balchunis

Raised: $15,300

Spent: $13,096

COH: $8,637

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/013/201510159003074013/201510159003074013.pdf

At this rate, the 2014 Democratic nominee won’t be the 2016 Democratic nominee.

PA-8

Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick-R+1-2011

Raised: $504

Spent: $24,239

COH: $1,072,376

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/499/201510159002913499/201510159002913499.pdf

Yep, Congressman Fitzpatrick is definitely retiring. One interesting subplot is who will get that $1 million-plus that he’s sitting on.

Shaughnessy Naughton

Raised: $283,224

Spent: $83,944

COH: $441,452

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/942/201510159002944942/201510159002944942.pdf

Naughton has been running for this seat since 2013 and this was her best fundraising quarter yet. She nearly pulled off the upset in 2014 and with more money her odds only increase.

Steve Santarsiero

Raised: $160,754

Spent: $112,264

COH: $331,342

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/979/201510159003052979/201510159003052979.pdf

The PA-8 Democratic primary looks like it will be one of the few contests where the candidate with the most establishment support (Santarsiero) won’t be the candidate with the most money (Naughton). You can check out our full fundraising breakdown here.

Andy Warren

Raised: $12,810

Spent: $1,178

COH: $11,631

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/590/201510150300027590/201510150300027590.pdf

This Republican/turned Democrat/turned Republican doesn’t seem like a serious candidate right now.

Note: State Rep. Scott Petri jumped into the race after the deadline passed.

PA-9

Rep. Bill Shuster-R+14-2001

Raised: $461,730

Spent: $272,012

COH: $1,312,343

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/918/201510159002945918/201510159002945918.pdf

The Congressman was hurt last spring when Politico delved into his personal life. His fundraising, and the tragic passing of Tom Smith, has significantly improved his position.

Art Halvorson

Raised: $32,870

Spent: $360

COH: $37,493

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/357/201510159002944357/201510159002944357.pdf

Halvorson pledged to pick up the torch in September and will once again try to primary Shuster. He’ll need more cash, though, to take advantage of any weaknesses the incumbent may have.

PA-10

Rep. Tom Marino-R+12-2011

Raised: $155,742

Spent: $125,686

COH: $276,955

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/815/201510169003093815/201510169003093815.pdf

Once again, these aren’t incredible numbers but with his district he doesn’t need incredible numbers.

PA-11

Rep. Lou Barletta-R+6-2011

Raised: $135,469

Spent: $76,919

COH: $223,743

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/773/201510159002909773/201510159002909773.pdf

Much like Rep. Marino, Congressman Barletta isn’t blowing anyone away with his totals but it is very difficult to imagine anyone posing a serious threat to him.

Mike Marsicano

Raised: $116,000

Spent: $15,410

COH: $100,589

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/819/201510029002790819/201510029002790819.pdf

All of Marsicano’s cash was the result of two loans that he made to his campaign.

PA-12

Rep. Keith Rothfus-R+9-2013

Raised: $164,536

Spent: $61,597

COH: $858,365

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/477/201510209003130477/201510209003130477.pdf

With that much cash on hand, Rep. Rothfus will be very popular with his more endangered Republican colleagues.

PA-13

Rep. Brendan Boyle-D+13-2015

Raised: $151,681

Spent: $68,562

COH: $606,552

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/982/201510159002924982/201510159002924982.pdf

Boyle may be a freshman but his district and war-chest virtually ensure he’ll be around for years to come.

PA-14

Rep. Michael Doyle-D+15-1995

Raised: $48,888

Spent: $82,653

COH: $185,839

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/860/201510139002848860/201510139002848860.pdf

A tepid report bailed out by incumbency and a favorable PVI rating.

PA-15

Rep. Charlie Dent-R+2-2005

Raised: $114,388

Spent: $124,584

COH: $1,130,075

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/932/201510149002862932/201510149002862932.pdf

Dent has become quite the outspoken moderate, but with that much cash on hand I doubt a primary challenger emerges. Meanwhile, that same maverick attitude makes it difficult for any Democrat to take him on.

PA-16

Rep. Joe Pitts-R+4-1997

Raised: $103,090

Spent: $103,716

COH: $181,716

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/055/201510119002835055/201510119002835055.pdf

Congressman Pitts is yet another example of the importance of incumbency. He doesn’t have to break the bank to stay in office.

Christina Hartman

Raised: $45,467

Spent: $8,069

COH: $37,397

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/153/201510159003031153/201510159003031153.pdf

This is Hartman’s first FEC report but she’ll still need more cash to pose a threat to Rep. Pitts.

PA-17

Rep. Matt Cartwright-D+4-2013

Raised: $102,346

Spent: $57,058

COH: $617,035

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/159/201510159002932159/201510159002932159.pdf

Rep. Cartwright won’t make any headlines with a fundraising performance like this, but he will maintain his seat.

PA-18

Rep. Tim Murphy-R+10-2003

Raised: $143,215

Spent: $167,334

COH: $1,102,140

Link: http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/650/201510159002948650/201510159002948650.pdf

Solid numbers from someone facing no real danger.

16 Responses

  1. Diano:

    Fair enough. I don’t really know anything about her. It just seems like she recognizes that she needs to build up some campaign cash in order for people to take her candidacy seriously. I’m not saying that building up local support isn’t important too, but you need funding to get your message out.

    Agree on the ridiculous gerrymandering of PA-07 as well.

  2. You omitted Mike Marsicano from report on the 11th. Corrected since yesterday, but to be fair the correction should be noted on the morning buzz page where the story originally appeared.

  3. flynnbw-

    Didn’t say it was “wrong”, but it’s not particularly admirable or encouraging for a candidate who’s running to “change” the way the system works. It also just shows that she has little local support.

    She has very little connection to the area and party. She went to the exclusive Agnes Irwin private high school (annual tuition $25K – $30K), then off to Princeton, and then off to work on Wall Street (where she had to resign because they found out she was running for office).

    She doesn’t really have significant political/life experience to bring.

    Her primary opponent, Mary Ellen, is a professor of political science and has been an active Dem supporting the local party/candidates/organizations for years.

    The problem is that the district is so gerrymandered that Sestak himself could no longer win it.

    Beating Meehan is going to take a huge political sea change in the district (very unlikely) or catching Meehan in a career-ending scandal or candid statement caught on tape (always possible in politics) .

    committee for Marsicano:
    he’s listed now

    Mike Marsicano
    Raised: $116,000
    Spent: $15,410
    COH: $100,589

  4. Mr Field,

    Why is Mike Marsicano (D), candidate for the 11th Congressional District is not listed above, His FEC report was filed, received and confirmed for the third quarter ?

  5. Mr. Field,

    Why is Mike Marsicano (D) Candidate for the 11th Congressional District not listed, his FEC Report was filed and confirmation received from the FEC for the third quarter.

  6. Mr. Field,
    Mke Marsicano (D) Candidate for 11th Congressional Disrict is not listed above, he has filed his third quarter FEC report, why is not listed among the others.

  7. Diano ascribes sinister undertones to Li’s fundraising methods, but this is a standard technique: find the people out there you think might be willing to support you financially if you reach out to them. Yes, that sometimes means reaching out to people of the same ethnic group … or alums of the same college … or people with the same professional background. Nothing wrong with that.

  8. Lindy sounds just like most of the politicians in this entire country. No wonder voters stay home, rather than vote. Most of the candidates are either hereditary or a shill for some special interest group.

  9. PA-

    Demonize? Hardly. There are just a lot of people in politics who are phonies and out to satisfy their own egos or lust for money/power. Some are merely foolish and can’t be taken too seriously.

    When Lindy talks about her desire/dream to be in congress, it sounds like an eight year old talking about his dream of being both a cowboy and astronaut (and a superhero at night).

    She says she’s going to “unlock the power of her generation” and that her parents came here with “a suitcase full of dreams”.

    I’m wondering if her campaign posters will show her riding a unicorn.

    She’s not a bad person, just not someone I can take seriously.

  10. David, does it bring you great joy and satisfaction to throw rocks at others? It seems like you spend much of your life demonizing other people.

  11. PA-

    It was an in kind contribution of access to some voter data. No actual cash. It was more like a free sample, but since I do charge other candidates for similar access, we decided to include it in the FEC report at market value.

    It’s too early for the campaign to make much use of the data, so there was no reason to have them spend money on it yet.

    I laughed in Lindy’s face when I first met her and she claimed she could raise $7 million for this race (about $1 million per quarter). She got all upset that I didn’t know her and her “dreams” and how she could achieve the impossible. I couldn’t tell if she full of crap or believed her own nonsense. Either way, I can’t take her seriously as a candidate, despite her fundraising totals, given the lack of support within the district.

  12. David, you should disclose that you yourself donated $500 to Balchunis’s moribund campaign. Just to put things into perspective, your gift alone is 6% of her total cash on hand.

  13. Tom Smith would have beaten Bill Shuster like a drum. Hopefully Halvorson can muster that kind of momentum. The Shusters have been literally been in bed with the special interests for far too long.

  14. Pa-9 will likely be a surprise in my opinion. The shuster dynasty is in more trouble than many realize.

  15. A closer look at Lindy Li’s fundraising shows that only $16K (about 12%) of her $135K was raised in PA (and $6,120 from Philly and Pittsburgh, outside the district).

    Upon examination of her expenses and the names of her donors, the fundraising strategy is very obvious:

    She spent $1,650 on donor databases from NPGVAN for donors and targeted Chinese/Asian names/heritage from all over the country. The total from non-Chinese/Asian names is under $10,000, which is such a small percentage of her total that it almost seems accidental.

    This should not be a total shock. Her entire campaign is running as a Chinese-American for the American Dream and to be the young person elected to congress (and thus the youngest Chinese person).

    The problems here are that she is appealing almost exclusively to one racial group, through identity politics, and that she has demonstrated little support within the state and district. The census shows the voting age population of the district is only 3.7% Asian.

    Her opponent, Mary Ellen Balchunis (the 2014 Dem nominee), has raised a lot less, but nearly all of it has been from within the district. Many of the names I recognize as local candidates, committee people and others who are politically connected/involved. People who will be very helpful when it comes time for local endorsements. Mary Ellen has also been giving generously to local candidates and women’s organizations, and helping the Nov 2015 candidates. This is consistent with her years of support for local Democrats.

    So, while Lindy does have huge advantage in cash (so far), there’s little indication that she has much local political support. Mary Ellen has more history/connections in the district, and she needs to push them hard after the Nov elections when attention turns to the 2016 cycle.

    There are still six months to the primary, and a year to the election. However, the reason Meehan is considered “safe” has far less to do with his fundraising, and far more to do with the district being one of the most gerrymandered districts in the entire country. The registration advantage is 51% Rep 35% Dem.

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