The
FEC Candidates' 18-month summaries were released earlier this month, ranking the incumbents and challengers in several categories.
Among other findings, the Summaries Report indicates:
Receipts by Republican House candidates increased 12% with increases for incumbent candidates (23%) and open seat candidates (15%) but a decline in overall receipts for Republican House challengers of 34% when compared with 2004. Democratic candidates' receipts were 26% higher than in the last cycle with a small increase for incumbents (4%) and larger increases for both open seat candidates (46%) and challengers, whose fundraising more than doubled when compared with 2004.
Overall, Democratic challengers are doing well. But a very interesting and troubling story arises in GA-06, my home district. Tom Price, the freshman incumbent for the district, ranks 35th among incumbents for receipts, with
$1,850,365. For context, Price's receipts outrank Steny Hoyer's, Don Young's, John Salazar's, and David Dreier's, and fall only slightly behind Majority Leader John Boehner's.
From whence does Price's war chest come? In short, he borrowed it.
Less than half of his total ($909,806) is from individuals (he ranks 35th here, too, among incumbent House candidates).
$684,333 is from PACs (he ranks 49th among incumbents).
Most intriguingly, though, Price ranks 6th among incumbents for Debts Owed ($506,131) (and 15th among all candidates!!).
The FEC lists Price among only six candidates that "report significant debts, at least some of which were incurred in previous election cycles."
And oh yeah, Price loaned himself an additional $250,200 in his bid to keep his seat. All told, Price has raised more scratch than any other Georgia candidate this election cycle.
And his closest friends, the The American Association of Orthapedic Surgeons, independently spent $200,000 to help defeat Price's primary challenger, John Konop.
Did you add that up? Close to $1 MILLION DOLLARS (more than half!) of Price's campaign has been funded through debt, a loan from himself, and soft money from his fellow orthapedists. How's that for fiscal responsibility?
All this borrowing can only mean one thing: Price is running scared. His Democratic challenger, Steve Sinton, is coming on strong:
On July 18th, Democrats flocked to the polls and voted in record numbers! Over 23,000 Democrats cast votes in our Congressional District alone!
We received a record number of votes in Cherokee County, which proves this district is ready for change. The voters of the Sixth District know the country needs to be pointed in the right direction again and, fortunately, we can do something about it come November 7, 2006.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Recently, President Bush--against the will of the majority of Americans--vetoed a bill supporting embryonic stem cell research. Our health is being held hostage.
Instead of finding cures to cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other diseases that afflict many of us and our loved ones, a stroke of a pen - W's first veto - made him The Decider. We don't get the best medical breakthrough of the century. What's worse is that my opponent, a medical doctor, REFUSED to vote to override President Bush's veto.
It's time for us to get the 21st century medicine we deserve.
After all, it's not the party. It's the principles.
I've
followed. this. race. closely.,
(really!), and, having done so, I conclude that Price has nothing but money to contribute, either to the contest or the good of the country.
Mr. Price is the Poster Boy for the term "Regressive Republican." True to form, he's trying to borrow and spend his way back to Washington. (this link highlights his 0% League of Conservation Voters score. The "Poster Boy" link includes a great picture of Mr. Price. You get the picture, I hope.)
How can we help? Let's bring Price back to Georgia by sending Steve Sinton to Washington in his stead.