Total she broke the $100,000 mark. For the quarter: $63064.72, On Hand $43460.34
To give you an idea, Melissa Bean hadn’t started any serious fundraising by this part in the cycle in 2003. She had abotu $600 on hand after some disbursements. The key will be to leverage the early money into larger donors–once you show people you are serious and can raise money, more money can follow.
That is a terrible report. She spent nearly 74% of her money in a pure fundraising quarter. Minus debt she has about 5K in the black.
Burn rate should never, ever exceed 35% in quarters like this. And that’s even too high.
The YTD is worse, 107 raised, 75 of it spent! My goodness.
Almost 1/4 or her cash on hand was from the last cycle?
Hmmm. Well, first of all to my knowledge any debt she has was a loan that does not need to be paid back, so the $43K is truly cash on hand. And if you are writing from New Jersey, you are probably not aware that this is most definitely NOT a “pure fundraising quarter.” Peter “just disgusting” Roskam and Christine are both currently running canvassing operations, marching in parade after parade (I have marched in three myself), Christine is holding forums on issues like Retirement Security and Health Care, and of course Roskam’s supporters are beating the bushes to collect signatures and support for their anti-gay marriage ballot referendum. And let’s not forget that Christine’s Dem “competitor” only raised $22,000, with $16,400 on hand — and this was the guy whose main claim to fame was how much money he was going to pull in. FYI: I am pulling those numbers from this post:
http://www.archpundit.com/archives/012663.html#comments
I will also say that it is difficult for any Dem to pull money out of that district because they have NO DEM ELECTED OFFICIALS. That’s right — those people have never, ever, tasted victory. Can you imagine that? Year after year attending meetings and going to fundraisers and stuffing envelopes and NEVER wining? How long before YOU would give up hope? And right now, Christine is the only hope they have.
So my suggestion is, instead of carping on her, help her raise money. Our only other choice is seeing our newest member of the Illinois delegation be someone who is willing to lie on the IL Gen Assembly floor by saying that an equal rights bill (championed by the amazing Carol Ronen) would force churches to hire gay ministers. Someone whose idea of a “good buddy” is Grover fricking Norquist! THAT is our fate if we don’t get this done.
And BTW, in my personal and admittedly possibly incorrect opinion, Christine’s cash-on-hand numbers would be a hell of a lot better if she didn’t have every over-priced loser Dem consultant in Illinois busy trying to fleece her. How those people sleep at night is beyond me! This is “Good v. Evil,” friends — really not that complicated.
If Cegelis wants to donate $40,000 to her campaign she can, but her loan makes it clear that she is planning on having that money paid back to her by her donors at some point. You can’t ignore her campaign debt any more than you can ignore Carol Pankau or Joe Birkett’s, especially since Cegelis doesn’t have a money tree in her backyard.
Tom is right, Cegelis is burning through the dough at a fiery rate, and this money is not going to voter contact as Tuesday’s post suggests. Looks like mostly salaries, fees and fundraising expenses to me, except for alot of travel (with an entourage, apparently).
Cegelis may try to spin it that she’s raised more money, but she spent so much more that when you include her debt, Cegelis only has $5 K to her name. O’Malley has $16 K on hand, and considering Cegelis’s two-year head start, her showing is sad.
The next filing will be more telling, but this one is sure to give people who were considering Cegelis the heebie-jeebies.
Anon Poster:
What the hell are you talking about? Tom from NJ is right. You are wrong. Cegelis has NO chance. None. ZERO. I am a loyal dem and have worked on staff for a number of congressional races. She is toast.
Also, to further prove your ignorance, O’Malley was not the candidate whose claim to fame was fundraising. It was Brian McPartlin who will now enter the race and raise more then your buddy Cegelis in the first 3 weeks.
The issue is not that you (you obviously work for the campaign) didn’t RAISE enough money. Its that you WASTED 65K!!!
John Pavich, running against Weller in the 11th raised about 103K. He has about 85k on hand. That is how you run a campaign.
Giving money to Cegelis is like investing in arm floaties before a trip on the Titanic.
Sorry Anon, but you candidate would be better off running for school board.
I’m actually from IL. Born and bred and worked in the political scene for all but 2 years of my life till NJ.
I know a thing or two about campaigns and I know when i see a good burn rate and when i don’t.
Allow me to address your points.
First about Roskam, i agree, he’s a schmuck and i don’t want him to win either.
Okay, let’s go to the tape:
“Roskam and Christine are both currently running canvassing operations.”
Canvass operations cost nothing — pens, paper, clipboards. This should be run by volunteers and one person directing which costs 1000 a month, because this is a part time gig. We’re in 2005, you don’t need hard ID or persuasion, you just need to firm up your address lists, get a decent idea of which districts have large undecideds and begin familiarizing voters with Christine.
“marching in parade after parade” also costs nothing. You don’t need lit or signs, parades don’t win you votes, talking to targeted voters does.
“Christine is holding forums on issues like Retirement Security and Health Care” also costs nothing. If you are paying rent for any hall or anything like that you’re nuts. If you’re paying people to make calls you’re nuts. In the two years she ran before, you should have a solid list of at least 50 volunteers you can email to make calls.
“NO DEM ELECTED OFFICIALS.” They shouldn’t be raising money for you, you should. they help, but they are not necessary. You should have called every single consistent Democratic voter and asked for money. EVERY ONE, you have a year to make calls. Not to mention there are democrats in chicago who have money, i promise you.
“So my suggestion is, instead of carping on her, help her raise money.” I’d love to, but i have my own race to run right now.
“if she didn’t have every over-priced loser Dem consultant in Illinois busy trying to fleece her.” That’s life man, politicis is like anything else, there are overpriced, bad choices all around. Hopefully blogs like this one give people a place to talk about this stuff. I’m trying to help, really. I’d like to see christine win, but the message you send to democratic activists around the state is “why should i donate to them when they’re wasting money?”
And poster “what the ****” you’re a tool. Be nice to people, their hearts are in the right place.
First, Thanks everyone, I haven’t commented yet for a very specific reason–I think the burn rate is high, but I went through the expenditures to try and figure out what they are doing. I’ll have more to say.
But as Tom said (who’s opinion I respect) be nice.
For an example of the costs for canvassing–Roskam barely spent any money this quarter.
BTW, Tom, I sent you a note at your e-mail–no problem if you haven’t/don’t have time to reply, but wanted you to know.
The sad fact is that if Christine can’t win in this district no Democrat can. She has by far been the most active and has the most active supporters. No other Democratic candidate has an inkling of a chance.