State Rep. Randy Demmer is among several candidates aiming to run against Congressman Tim Walz in the 1st CD, but it looks like his campaign is not getting much traction. Demmer raised just $17,000 in the 3rd Quarter. He has $56k cash on hand and $20k in debt.
If Demmer is raising just 5k a month, he is not a credible candidate.
Walz, on the other hand, raised $250k this quarter and has $700k cash on hand. And then there is this…
The congressman’s campaign said his final third quarter numbers may change as last minute donations are tallied. Walz said that he hoped to raise more, but that he stopped fundraising during the last two weeks of August in the aftermath of the southern Minnesota floods.
“I haven’t spent as much time on it as they’d probably like me to,” he said, referring to party leaders.
So Walz wasn’t fundraising for the whole quarter, but still managed to raise a quarter-million. Not bad at all.
Other than Demmer, Walz has three other announced challengers. St. Sen. Dick Day has yet to release his 3rd Quarter numbers. The Rochester Post Bulletin reports that Rochester physician Brian Davis raised about $55k, loaned his own campaign another $24k and has about $50k on hand. The Post Bulletin also reports that Mark Meyer raised $3k and has $3k on hand.
Republicans had hoped to give Walz a run for his money, but with these pathetic candidates, he is looking more secure every day.
Randy Demmer and Dick Day are going to find their campaigns continue to sputter. Neither have a strong platform of issues they are running on.
Thier ability to raise money into 2008 will decide if the RCCC wants to put in any money depending on who gets the GOP nomination to run against Tim Walz.
Tim has been doing a damn fine job for this District, as visible as he is, accessible to people, working for the District on the weekends he is home. He has two scheduled open meetings this weekend on Iraq. The man is always working. Quite refreshing from the previous 1st CD Congressman if you ask me.
Randy Demmer will be just fine. Although he obviously needs to do some major retooling of his finance operation, it is only one half of the “Dollars and Delegates” equation. I’ve heard that his rifle shot approach to the latter is paying dividends.