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Rafferty Posts $170K Haul, Peters Brings in $5,000

moneyIf money is anything to go by (and in politics, it usually is), State Sen. John Rafferty should ease past his only challenger Joe Peters on primary day.

While Rafferty’s numbers are dwarfed by Democratic candidates Josh Shapiro and Stephen Zappala’s first cycle returns, the State Senator’s fundraising prowess has blown Peters’s campaign away.

Top-Line Numbers

Rafferty brought in over $170K in the first cycle of 2016, propelled by $111K from PACs and businesses, while Peters scraped up just $5,135 from his donors over the first 10 weeks of the year.

Rafferty spent over $63,274,17 and still has over $205K in cash to spend on the last seven weeks of the primary race. With little money coming in the door, Peters has had to be thrifty with his spending, with just $2,128 coming out of the campaign account.

Peters now has only $3,006 in cash on hand, but must repay $3,500 in campaign loans.

Contributions

Peters – one of many former spokesmen for AG Kathleen Kane – had enormous difficulty finding traction in the first cycle. Peters ended up being his second biggest donor, giving himself $800. Just two other donors kicked in more than $500 to his campaign in the first cycle.

Four-term State Sen. Rafferty brought in 17 donors over $500, but found very strong support from his colleagues in Harrisburg. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati’s campaign threw $50K behind Rafferty’s campaign, as well as Sens. Don White ($5K), Lisa Baker ($2,500) and Pat Vance ($1K), and State Rep. Jerry Knowles ($500).

Five employees at the Audubon Land Development Group contributed $35K, while Rafferty received $10K each from the PA Future Fund, the PA Automotive Association and the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 (though they endorsed Shapiro for AG, but more on that later).

Expenditures

Almost all of Peters’ expenses were listed as reimbursements to campaign staff, bar a $200 payment to the Patriot-News for advertising.

On the other hand, Rafferty opened up his checkbook to lock down the GOP nomination early, spending $21,619.04 on consulting and professional services from LN Consulting. Rafferty also paid $5K each to MJM Strategies and Ignite Strategies and $3K to DTR Consulting (all four firms are based in Harrisburg.)

Warren-based Ash Khare Consulting pocketed $3K from Rafferty’s campaign, while Spring Church’s Big Table Strategies pulled in $2,130.

Rafferty made $1,000 donations to the Montgomery County Police Memorial Fund and the Montgomery County Republican Committee.

Over the course of studying the financial reports of the five candidates running for Attorney General, we found that several businesses and PACs have contributed to multiple candidates. Those organizations, and the candidates they contributed to, are listed below:

Dilworth Paxson:

  • Zappala: $5,000
  • Shapiro: $3,000
  • Rafferty: $1,000

Exelon PAC:

  • Shapiro: $2,500
  • Rafferty: $500

McNees PAC:

  • Rafferty: $5,000
  • Shapiro: $2,000

Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel:

  • Shapiro: $5,000
  • Zappala: $2,500
  • Morganelli: $1,000
  • Rafferty: $500

Philadelphia FOP Lodge 5:

  • Rafferty: $10,000
  • Shapiro: $5,000 (and an endorsement)

6 Responses

  1. Thanks for the correction.

    Catty – “light this cycle.” Hmm. Same as last year when Rep State Committee put forward candidates with little statewide name recognition that were unable to raise the money necessary to win. SSDD

    Ha – The writing on the wall this cycle is clear. If Trump is the nominee no contested Republican seat is safe anywhere (even Utah).

  2. Jim – There are Corbett Republicans in Harrisburg trying to raise money for Democrat Seth Williams. Perhaps they see the writing on the wall for the Grand ol Party?

  3. PoliticsPA made a mistake. PA Future Fund and Bob Asher did not give money to Shapiro. It was PA Future who donated $10k to Shapiro.

  4. Dear Jim,

    You would be correct in your assessment. I am certain Senator Rafferty is disturbed.

  5. The fundraising of the Republicans is just a bit light this cycle. Hmm.

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