The Picture

This is the picture that represents the dichotomy State Representative Gus Bilirakis faces. Vice President Dick Cheney is a major draw among the hard right conservative donor class and a major negative among the voters - particularly the independents and moderates who will decide the race for 9th Congressional District.

The Bilirakis campaign is reporting that the fundraiser might have brought in as much as $230,000 for the Republican. However, the GOP has lately been accused of exagerrating the amounts that the White House has been bringing at fundraisers.

The amount does seem unlikely, based on the $500 requested ask for the main event - $1,000 to get a photograph taken with Cheney. There was also a round table event scheduled for a group to consist primarily of the host committe and also requiring a $1,000 contribution. The Bilirakis campaign described the crowd as being upwards of 200 men, women and children. Assuming 250 attendees (unlikely, since campaigns always exagerrate the size of crowds at their events) at $500, plus another $12,000 from the round table event - that's only $137,000. Unless almost the entire crowd - including the children - ponied up to have their picture taken with the Vice President, the actual take was probably closer to $100-150k.