Fundraising sparse, Paige signals he’s ready to spend

With relatively few campaign contributions to boast, Republican hedge fund executive Chris Paige signaled last weekend that he’s prepared to spend at least $300,000 on his attempt to win the GOP’s nomination in the 11th Congressional District.

Paige, considered an underdog to party-favorite Lou Barletta, has raised about $21,000 during the election cycle so far, and finished 2009 with only $3,500 in cash on hand, according to campaign finance data. Much of it was in the form of in-kind contributions from the candidate himself.

In an e-mail on Saturday, Paige implied that any money he couldn’t raise up to at least $300,000, he would kick in himself.

“After meeting with so many people in this District, I have decided to run, and I have stepped up my fundraising accordingly,” Paige wrote.

Barletta had about $52,000 on hand at the end of 2009.