Castor Campaign - We Are Only $2500 from Our Fundraising Goal

According to her latest e-mail fundraising request (see image), Kathy Castor's campaign for the 11th Congressional District is only $2500 short of her financial goal for the quarter ending June 30. The e-mail wisely did not specify what that goal was so that, no matter what, the campaign can claim to have met their goal. By identifying a relatively low number - only $2500 - the message was clearly targeted at low dollar contributors who give $25 to $100 who could feel that their small contribution was significantly moving the campaign towards the goal in way they couldn't if the campaign claimed to be $25,000 away from their goal.

According to the last federal filing, Castor's campaign raised $671,203 through March 21 and had $498,677 on hand. Castor's actual goal is likely to be between $800,000 and $1 million or something between $150,000 and $350,000 for the quarter.

Filing for the second quarter of 2006 are due July 11. At the local level, it will be interesting to see what effect the legislative session - and sitting legislators' legal prohibition against raising money during the session - has had on their campaigns. In particular, look for Sen. Rod Smith's report and the report for the candidates in SD 16 - Representatives Berfield, Farkas, and Justice.

Senate President Tom Lee's filing this quarter and next quarter will also be of interest. He is running for CFO and it has been suggested that he alienated many in the PAC/lobby community. Now that he no longer has any authority through his position in the legislature, does more money flow to his opponent in the Republican primary, Rep. Randy Johnson, as a form of retaliation from the donor class?