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With $2M COH, Toomey Stays Ahead of the Curve

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Sen. Pat Toomey

Pat Toomey’s name won’t appear on the ballot for nearly 4 years, but the freshman Senator isn’t easing up on fundraising. He brought in $470,000 in the final 3 months of 2012 and begins 2013 with $2.07 million cash on hand.

His leadership PAC, Citizens for Prosperity in America Today, has $33,000 on hand.

That puts him well ahead of both Bob Casey and Arlen Specter at the same point in their respective re-election efforts.

Casey finished 2008 with $250,000 on hand, having raised $289,000 in the final three months.

Specter, then a Republican but always a possible target in a primary or general, had $631,000 on hand at the end of 2006, 2 years after his re-election (and his primary victory over Toomey). Specter raised $39,000 in Q4 2006.

He was better off after his previous campaign.  Specter was able to save money on the 1998 campaign when he easily defeated longshot Dem Bill Lloyd by 26 points. His campaign had $2.7 million on hand at the end of 2000; he raised just $9,622 in the fourth quarter.

These numbers are based on the Federal Election Commission campaign finance report filings by each campaign.

Toomey raised and spent $17 million in the 2010 campaign compared to $8.5 million by Democrat Joe Sestak and won 51 percent to 49.

His narrow victory even in a strong Republican year means that despite building the reputation of a pragmatist, his conservative views will likely land him a top spot on the list of Democratic Senate targets in 2016. It’s especially probably given Pennsylvania’s tending-blue status; the U.S. Senate campaign will coincide with the next presidential election, when Dem turnout is better. Dominant financial resources will be essential.

One possible example of Toomey’s motivation is Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Montgomery), commonly listed among possible Toomey challengers in 2016. She reported $3.11 million cash on hand at the end of 2012, more than any elected official in Pa.

A few other odds and ends from the year end FEC reports:

In the time since his re-election campaign (from Nov. 27 to Dec. 31, 2013), Sen. Bob Casey raised $27,317. He has $115,000 cash on hand.

The campaigns of two other U.S. Senate candidates also filed year end reports.

Coal company owner and GOP nominee Tom Smith reported $93K on hand and $15.9 million in campaign debt (most of it to Smith himself). Likewise entrepreneur Steve Welch, who reported $605 on hand but $250,000 in debt.

Former state Rep. Sam Rohrer’s campaign has been officially terminated.

4 Responses

  1. Yet another disappointing big government Republican. He voted yes to send more f16s and other military weaponry to Egypt. It just never ends. Wasteful spending is absolutely everywhere! Here in Western Pa, for example, our state legislator Jeff Pyle has a staffer who after her paid maternity leave he let her bring her baby into the state office while working for almost a year! How is that for taxpayer day care? I am sure that is against the rules but I suppose the rules don’t apply to all ( sounds eerily like the Obama administration).

  2. I’m a conservative leader in Pittsburgh and while I think Toomey’s top aide is very handsome I am very disappointed in the Senator Toomey’s liberal voting record for hurricane Sandy recovery funding, raising the debt ceiling and raising taxes on millionaires. I am working to organize a primary challenger against him with some young guns from out if state.

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