Kerry campaign aims to tap donors of some of his rivals

[Khephra]

snip.....

Behind in the polls and battling perceptions that his campaign is faltering, Kerry has just embarked on a seven-state, 14-fund-raiser tear in hopes of erasing doubts about his chances in 2004 and persuading donors that his candidacy remains a good, smart bet. Facing one hard fund-raising reality -- that many of his supporters gave their maximum $2,000 donations early in the year when he was considered the Democrats' front-runner -- Kerry is now trying to tap the donors of some of his rivals. He is also touting his decision to pass up federal funding for his campaign, exuding confidence that, with donors behind him and an expected bank loan putting his personal wealth behind his campaign, he can win the Democratic nomination and beat Bush in 2004.

Kerry's fund-raising has picked up since October in New England, with almost $1 million in financial commitments, or almost double the amount raised over the summer and early fall. Yet among some Democrats courted by campaign fund-raisers, including some at the Kerry event in Manhattan, there is skepticism that donating to Kerry will do any good for his campaign, which, according to the a poll of New Hampshire voters released yesterday, has fallen 32 percenage points behind his chief rival, former governor Howard Dean of Vermont.

snip........

Having raised $20 million so far this year -- compared with Dean's $25 million -- Kerry has announced he plans to take out a loan against his assets; advisers say that the final decision on the amount and timing of the loan has not been made, though they predicted it would amount to several million dollars.

Alan Solomont, Kerry's chief fund-raiser in Massachusetts, said that local and regional fund-raising "is going quite a bit better" now than in the third quarter of the fund-raising calendar, July through September. During that period, Kerry raised $485,642 in Massachusetts and an additional $117,450 in the other five New England states, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Overall for the third quarter, the campaign raised $3.95 million, about $500,000 less than expected. Two campaign advisers said that financial commitments from around New England total close to $1 million for the fourth quarter.

snip......

One of Kerry's advisers also said that the campaign has begun reaching out to past donors to two Kerry rivals, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina and Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, to urge those supporters to help Kerry because he may have a stronger chance than the other two Democrats at winning the nomination.

more........

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/kerry/articles/2003/12/05/kerry_campaign_aims_to_tap_donors_of_some_of_his_rivals/

[helleborient]

1. I certainly hope private money can't buy the nomination...

It would move us even further into the hole of a government of millionaires.

[KC21304]

2. Heavens, me too.

A government by Enron, etc is much better. How about fighting for true campaign finance reform ?

[helleborient]

4. How about supporting candidates financed by regular people...

Instead of their own personal wealth?

[KC21304]

5. I believe that is what I meant by true campaign finance reform.

Has your candidate been fighting for that for years ? If so I may have missed it.

[tsipple]

3. Kerry Would Still Be a Powerful Senator

So either way, if you want to get a special favor in Washington, giving 2000 bucks to Kerry would be smart insurance. That's the way the (current) system works.

[KC21304]

6. You mean like the smart insurance the utility companies

bought in Vermont ?