Iowapolitics.Com: King Outraises Vilsack, Latham Tops Boswell In Congressional Battles

By Hannah Hess 
IowaPolitics.com

IOWA CITY — There's a little more than a year left until voters head to the polls on Election Day 2012, and already some campaigns are shaping up to be expensive battles.

U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, raised slightly more than Iowa's former first lady, Christie Vilsack, a Democrat from Ames, in one of the nation’s most closely-watched fundraising contests in the run up to the 2012 campaign season.

Combined, the candidates raked in more than $730,000 this quarter, in a race the national news site Politico national pegged as among “10 FEC reports to watch.”

But Vilsack maintained a $50,000 lead in cash in the race for Iowa’s new 4th Congressional District in north central and northwest Iowa, according to third-quarter campaign finance reports filed Saturday with the Federal Election Commission, or FEC.

U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, R-Ames, meanwhile, raised more than double the amount raked in by U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Des Moines, in the race for Iowa's new 3rd Congressional District that pits two longtime incumbents against each other.

King edges out Vilsack in 4th District fundraising

King raised $400,311 in July, August and September, while Vilsack raised $334,220 during that same period. Vilsack, however, reported a cash balance of $546,491 at the end of September, compared to King’s $497,649. 

“I am truly humbled by the Iowans from every walk of life who are supporting our campaign,“ Vilsack said. 

In July, Vilsack raised more than twice as much as King and accumulated a $150,000 lead in cash on hand. At the end of September, the two campaigns were within $50,000. 

Politico named Vilsack to a list of 10 House and Senate candidates who are "breakout fundraising stars in the still-developing 2012 campaign season."

She has raised more than $750,000 since launching an exploratory committee on April 20.

The two are facing off in a new district, created when congressional districts were redrawn this year to reflect population shifts in the 2010 census. Iowa lost a seat in Congress, going from five districts to four.

King has represented much of the new 4th Congressional District for nearly a decade. The redistricting change brought more Democrats and independents from central Iowa into what had been strongly Republican territory.

Latham tops Boswell in 3rd District

Latham raised $337,025 in the third quarter for his campaign to represent the new central and southeast Iowa district, and reported more than $1.7 million in his warchest at the end of September.

By comparison, Boswell took in $142,192 during the third quarter and has $375,967 on hand.

Boswell's lagging fundraising is consistent with trends from the first and second quarter. First-quarter fundraising reports filed in April showed Latham held more than five times as much cash on hand as Boswell. During the second quarter, Latham reported raising three times as much as Boswell

Latham moved south from Story County to Polk County to challenge Boswell rather than battle King in the newly-drawn 4th Congressional District.

Braley, Loebsack building warchests to face GOP challengers 

U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Waterloo, reported raising $278,072 in the third quarter and having $453,182 left at the end of September in his campaign for the 1st Congressional District. 

Two Republicans say they want to challenge Braley in the eastern Iowa district. Cedar Rapids businessman Steve Rathje and Independence lawyer Ben Lange have formed exploratory committees. Lange challenged Braley in 2010 and lost by less than 2 percentage points. 

Rathje reported raising $76,402 between April 28 and September, ending the third quarter with $79,629 on hand. Lange didn't raise any campaign cash during the period, but reported $3,560 in his campaign war chest, should he choose to run.

In the 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Mount Vernon, reported raising $150,252 and having $336,601 in the bank at the end of September.

Two Republicans, Blue Grass housing developer Dan Dolan and Bettendorf lawyer John Archer, a senior counsel at John Deere, have announced their intentions to challenge Loebsack. 

Campaign finance reports for the two were not available on Saturday evening. 

GOP presidential frontrunners miles apart in fund-raising figures

Campaign finance reports filed Saturday with the FEC showed the two candidates fighting for the top spot in the 2012 Republican presidential polling to be miles apart in fundraising. 

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney raised $14.2 million, compared to $2.8 million for former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain. Romney had $14.6 million in his campaign war chest at the end of September, while Cain, lagged behind with $1.3 million. Cain's campaign reported $675,000 in debts. 

Despite Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s descent in recent polls, reports showed that he is leading the fund-raising contest. 

Perry raised $17.2 million in the 49 days since his Aug. 13 announcement that he was entering the race for the Republican nomination for president. He had a $15-million balance at the end of September. 

“The generous contributions from Americans across the nation prove the overwhelming support for Gov. Perry’s principled, conservative leadership and vision to get America working again," said Rob Johnson, Perry's national campaign manager..

Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul’s campaign said he will report raising about $8 million from July through September. Supporters have launched “money bombs” during the third quarter, day-long pushes concentrated on raising a targeted amount of money, that enabled Paul to launch a multimillion-dollar ad campaign. 

Gingrich more than $1 million in debt

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s campaign said it will report more than $800,000 in third quarter fundraising, but added that the campaign is $1.1 million in debt.

A statement from press secretary R.C. Hammond said that October donations are coming in at “double the pace” from the same point in the second quarter. 

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has been campaigning hard in Iowa, reported nearly $550,000 of debt at the end of September. She raised $3.9 million in the third quarter, compared to $4.2 million in the second. 

Former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, who told IowaPolitics.com his campaign would be running on a shoestring, reported raising $704,199 in the third quarter. Santorum had $189,557 on hand at the end of September. 

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman collected $4.5 million, and had $327,615 left in his war chest at the close of the quarter.