Lott, Other Senators Show up at Fundraiser for Sununu
WASHINGTON, April 17–Sen. Republican Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) and other Republican senate colleagues of Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) turned up Wednesday at a Capitol Hill campaign fundraiser for Rep. John Sununu (R-NH), who is challenging Smith for his seat in September’s primary.
Republican Conference Chairman Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Sen. Kit Bond (R-MS) and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) all showed up for the $500 per person event at a Capital Hill restaurant.
Stevens and Bond could become chairmen of the Appropriations and Small Business committees, respectively, if Republicans regain control of the Senate.
While senators rarely support challengers to incumbents in their party in a primary contest, some Republicans may still harbor ill will against Smith for his brief presidential campaign as an independent in 1999.
Lott, flanked by security guards, arrived over an hour and a half into the event and left before it concluded, staying only a brief time.
Lott “is walking an uncomfortable tightrope,” said Jennifer Duffy, who monitors Senate races for the Cook Political Report in Washington.
Lott also cohosted a Smith fundraiser earlier this year and, according to Smith’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, agreed to be listed on every Washington fundraiser invite Smith sends out.
Bond, who along with Shelby endorsed Sununu last year, said support for the congressman in the Senate is “good” and the turn out was “great.” When asked if he thinks Sununu will beat Smith, he said he “thinks so.”
Sununu’s campaign manager, Paul Collins, said Lott’s “unprecedented act” is “certainly a tremendous boost.” Before the event, Collins said the fundraiser “will prove to be our most successful fundraiser to date this year.”
Wednesday night’s event “speaks bad things for Smith,” said Duffy.
Yet Lewandowski points out that Smith greatly surpasses Sununu in fundraising money. Smith has over $1.5 million in the bank, he said, while Sununu has approximately $660,000, according to the latest FEC filings.
“It takes two things to win in New Hampshire – grassroots and fundraising,” Lewandowski said. “Bob Smith has the grassroots support ยท and $660,000 in the election account this close to the campaign isn’t gonna be enough to compete with [Governor] Jeanne Shaheen in November.”
Some insiders say Sununu may simply be new to the Senate game.
“Sununu had another bad fundraising report and I just don’t get it,” Duffy said, calling Sununu’s lackluster fundraising “a concern.”
Polls, however, show Sununu is doing well. A March 29 American Research Group poll shows Sununu ahead of both Smith and Shaheen in the Senate race.
“Fundraising is an ongoing process and we will have the financial resources to run a winning campaign,” said Collins
Staff at the Capitol Hill restaurant where the fundraiser was held estimate that the 40-person room was filled to capacity.
Political action committees (PACs) paid $1000 to attend. Special interest invitees included the Sierra Club.
Published in The Union Leader, in Manchester, New Hampshire
