4th Quarter Congressional Fundraising Summary

Once again, Democrat Ann Kuster was the big winner in the congressional fundraising sweepstakes for the fourth quarter of 2011. The 2nd District congressional candidate raised over $330,000, nearly doubling the total from her likely Republican opponent, Rep. Charlie Bass, and bringing in more than New Hampshire’s two sitting congressmen combined.

Bass raised $167,500 with half of that coming from Political Action Committees. The PAC donations included $10,000 from Sen. Mitch McConnell and $2,500 from Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

                              Kuster-D     Bass-R
Itemized Contributions  . . . $202,666    $ 80,550
Non-Itemized Contributions. . $ 69,505    $  3,100
Political Committees  . . . . $ 58,951    $ 80,388

Total Receipts  . . . . . . . $331,202    $167,513

Cash On Hand  . . . . . . . . $828,036    $600,264

In the 1st District, Carol Shea-Porter led the pack of Democrats vying for the Republican-held seat, raising over $87,000. Andrew Hosmer brought in nearly $51,000 and Joanne Dowdell trailed with $43,500. Dowdell spent almost as much as she raised last quarter. Hosmer had less than $12,000 cash on hand at the end of the year.

Congressman Frank Guinta raised over $130,000, more than Shea-Porter but less than the combined totals from his three Democratic challengers. Guinta paid himself $22,000 from the campaign funds as a loan repayment, but still has a significant advantage in cash on hand, ending the year with over $565,000 compared to Shea-Porter’s $142,500.

                              Dowdell-D   Hosmer-D Shea-Porter-D  Guinta-R
Itemized Contributions  . . . $ 27,575    $ 40,630    $ 29,810    $ 67,500
Non-Itemized Contributions. . $ 13,941    $  9,254    $ 27,590    $  5,215
Political Committees  . . . . $      0    $  1,000    $ 30,000    $ 51,379

Total Receipts. . . . . . . . $ 43,516    $ 50,884    $ 87,552    $130,522

Cash On Hand  . . . . . . . . $ 98,445    $ 11,617    $142,496    $565,273

3rd Quarter Fundraising Recap

2nd District Congressional candidate Ann Kuster was the state’s big winner in third quarter fundraising. Kuster out-raised likely opponent Congressman Charlie Bass by a 2-to-1 margin and even raised more for the quarter than Bass and Congressman Frank Guinta combined, earning her national attention from National Journal and Politico.

In the 1st District, Carol Shea-Porter led the pack of Democrats vying for Guinta’s seat, raising more than Hosmer and Dowdell combined — leading Pindell to suggest the race is already over. Guinta raised less than half of what he brought in last quarter and was out-raised by the combined totals from the three Democrats. His lackluster performance earned him a spot on National Journal’s list of the “Top 10 House Fundraising Flops,” which he shares with Bass.

                              Kuster-D     Bass-R
Itemized Contributions  . . . $209,964    $ 63,220
Non-Itemized Contributions. . $102,225    $  4,231
Political Committees  . . . . $ 47,250    $ 80,000
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . $359,439    $147,451
                              Dowdell-D   Hosmer-D Shea-Porter-D  Guinta-R
Itemized Contributions  . . . $ 23,625    $ 29,744    $ 48,305    $ 84,613
Non-Itemized Contributions. . $  8,800    $  7,938    $ 25,956    $  5,291
Political Committees  . . . . $      0    $  1,500    $ 15,500    $ 49,000
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 32,425    $ 39,182    $ 89,761    $138,904

Q3 Fundraising: Dowdell Spends More Than She Raises

In the third quarter, Democrat Joanne Dowdell raised $32,425 but spent $40,431 in her campaign for the 1st District Congressional seat. Just $1,850 of her itemized individual contributions came from New Hampshire residents.

Itemized Contributions (NH) . . . . . . . . . . . $   1,850
Itemized Contributions (Outside NH) . . . . . . . $  21,775
Non-Itemized Contributions. . . . . . . . . . . . $   8,800
Political Committees  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $       0
Candidate Contribution  . . . . . . . . . . . . . $       0
Candidate Loan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $       0
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  32,425
Cash On Hand  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  94,191

Dowdell Embraces Class Warfare as Campaign Theme

When President Obama proposes increasing taxes on high-income individuals to help reduce the deficit, Republican critics are quick to accuse the president of inciting “class warfare.” It’s a charge 1st District Congressional candidate Joanne Dowdell embraces.

When Joanne Dowdell talks about why she is running for the First Congressional District in 2012, she says it is all about “class warfare.”

The Portsmouth resident and Democratic candidate says the future of middle class families hangs in the balance as Republican lawmakers in Congress continue their assault on labor, healthcare, and try to shift more of the tax burden onto their shoulders.

“The Middle Class is under attack,” Dowdell said.

Hosmer Throws His Hat in the Ring

In a move that had been telegraphed for a couple of weeks, James Pindell reports Andrew Hosmer will officially announce he is running for Congress later today. He joins former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter and Portsmouth businesswoman Joanne Dowdell in the race for the Democratic nomination in the state’s 1st Congressional District.

Hosmer will likely position himself as “the moderate guy from the Lakes Region” against former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter and Joanne Dowdell, two progressive women with a political base on the Seacoast. He will also focus his background in small business as an executive of Autoserv, which employees a few hundred in the state.

Update: Hosmer’s announcement.

Dowdell’s 2nd Quarter Fundraising Details

Joanne Dowdell, who is challenging former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter in a Democratic primary for the 1st District Congressional seat, reported raising $105,149 in her first quarter of fundraising.

85% of Dowdell’s itemized contributions came from out-of-state. Four individuals gave $5,000, the maximum contribution allowed by law ($2,500 for the primary election and $2,500 for the general election). The total also includes a $5,000 contribution and $10,000 loan from Dowdell.

Itemized Contributions (NH) . . . . . . . . . . . $  11,250
Itemized Contributions (Outside NH) . . . . . . . $  62,800
Non-Itemized Contributions. . . . . . . . . . . . $  16,099
Candidate Contribution  . . . . . . . . . . . . . $   5,000
Candidate Loan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  10,000
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 105,149

Shea-Porter to Face Primary Challenge from Dowdell

James Pindell reports Portsmouth resident Joanne Dowdell has filed paperwork to run for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. Dowdell is New Hampshire’s first African-American member of the Democratic National Committee.

Dowdell will be facing two-term Rep. Carol Shea-Porter in a Democratic primary. Shea-Porter, who lost the seat to GOP Rep. Frank Guinta, announced her intention to pursue a rematch in an email to supporters earlier this month.     

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has taken a lot of interest in this race. They barely hide the fact that they don’t want Shea-Porter to be the Democratic nominee again, and to that end they have spent considerable time trying to recruit other candidates into the race. It’s not Shea-Porter’s politics they don’t like, in fact Dowdell seems to be almost a match ideologically to Shea-Porter, it’s that they don’t think Shea-Porter can run a winning campaign.