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4 fun facts from the 4th quarter

About a week after fourth-quarter FEC reports hit the Web, here are some interesting items that caught our attention.

1. Spending on one’s own campaign is all the rage, and why not? Surely no one believes in a candidate as much as the candidate himself. Be they in-kind expenditures, direct donations or campaign loans, House candidates in Pennsylvania kicked more than $700,000 into their own races in late 2009, according to campaign finance data. There’s the relatively small spenders, like the $3,400 spent by 11th District Republican Chris Paige to cover expenses. Then there’s the big dogs, like 6th District Democrat Doug Pike, who gave his campaign another $340,000 last quarter, and 6th District Republican Steven Welch who gave his campaign $150,000 after sticking to loans worth half-a-million earlier in the cycle. Throughout this cycle, Pike and Welch alone have thrown a combined $1.5 million at their own candidacies.

2. Sometimes the money race looks just plain unfair. Take Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-13), who’s $2.84 million on hand is more than 100 times what her potential GOP rivals have—combined. Or what about state Representative Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware)? He’s out-raising his primary opponents more than 140-fold.

3. Go Phillies! Nothing wrong with a $500 contribution to Republican 7th District hopeful Pat Meehan, courtesy of the president of the 2008 World Series champs.

4. Gotta spend money to make money. Republican Bill Russell has raised $2.8 million since late 2008. But he’s spent almost all of it on massive direct-mail and voter contact efforts., and finished 2009 with just $211,000 in the bank. His candidacy was very much based on unseating longtime Congressman John Murtha (D-12). But after Murtha’s unfortunate passing, will Russell still be able to raise as much?

February 9, 2010 at 10:56 am

--pa2010.com Staff

Tags: Allyson Schwartz, Bill Russell, Bryan Lentz, Chris Paige, Doug Pike, PA-11, PA-12, PA-13, PA-6, PA-7, Pat Meehan, Steven Welch

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