Document text
--> --> Bradbury vs. Smith: Little Round Top Campaign fundraising and electoral success in America go together like precinct politics and Chicago. And if this homily holds true, Oregon's Secretary of State Bill Bradbury - who emerged Thursday as a Democratic challenger for the U.S. Senate race - has a decidedly uphill battle to wage. The skirmish on Little Round Top at Gettysburg has nothing on this guy. On his September supplemental report Bradbury has a cash balance of $1,314. In other words, a mortgage payment. At the same time, Republican Senator Gordon Smith - whose job Bradbury will contest - raised $1,371,124 between January and June this year. In other words, a decent-sized Department of Defense request for proposal. These figures courtesy of Money in Politics Research Action Project in Portland. "Lots of money from both Republican and Democratic donors will pour into Oregon given the strategic nature of this race, so Bradbury's campaign fund will undoubtedly increase," said Janice Thompson, executive director of the project. "If a trend revealed during the 2000 Senate races is repeated in Oregon, however, it is quite possible that incumbent Smith will continue to have a fundraising edge." This sounds like a staggering understatement in light of Smith's advantage out of the gate, plus the fact that Senate incumbents in 2000 more than doubled what their challengers raised and held a 6-1 edge in PAC contributions. To further illustrate the connection between big bucks and booming bonanza, 23 of 29 incumbents last November came out winners. Three of the six incumbents who lost were out-fundraised by their money managing opponents, according to Thompson. The upcoming race between Smith and Bradbury will attract plenty of attention beyond Oregon in light of the tight majority in the Senate. It would be a terrific opportunity for two opponents to contest the seat over ideas and statesmanship - as they are so dramatically different in their political leanings. Unfortunately, it likely will come down to which one can stomach the most rubber chicken at disgraceful fundraisers. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing