Even Without Opponents, Rep. McGovern Still Runs
McGovern
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Jason Millman
Boston University Washington News Service
Feb. 27, 2008
WASHINGTON – Though U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, doesn’t yet have an opponent for reelection in the 3rd Congressional District, the six-term incumbent has been raising money, he said, as if he were locked in the race of his life.
Mr. McGovern, who has been unopposed in every election except one since 1998, had raised $598,297 as of Dec. 31, 2007, the most recent reporting period covered, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Mr. McGovern’s fundraising figures are consistent with past election cycles in which he ran unopposed, according to past FEC filings.
“The advice Tip O’Neill gave me was make sure you’re asking for their vote whether you’re in the race of your life or no one’s running against you,” Mr. McGovern said in a telephone interview.
During past uncontested election cycles, Mr. McGovern fundraised aggressively and spent most of what he raised, according to figures compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group that tracks campaign financing. In 2006, he raised $755,594 and spent $705,491 and in 2002 he raised $628,348, spending all of it. In 2000, he raised $848,573 and spent $550,240 in his first uncontested election.
In 1998, Mr. McGovern’s first contested election after winning his seat in 1996, he raised and spent a little more than $1.3 million and received 57 percent of the vote. In 2004, his only other contested election, he raised close to $950,000 and spent $1.2 million, earning 71 percent of the vote.
For the upcoming election, Mr. McGovern’s campaign had spent $286,652 as of the end of December and still had $406,840 in the bank. Of that total, he spent $96,769 – about one-third of all his expenditures – in the district, with money going toward hosting events and dinners, donations to local civic organizations and other costs, such as printing campaign literature.
Even an uncontested incumbent should have a noticeable presence in the district during the campaign season, said John C. Berg, a Suffolk University professor of government with a specialty in congressional elections.
“He needs to be concerned with how he’s perceived by the public,” Mr. Berg said. “Doing a good job visibly to the public is the best way to campaign.”
Though his name may wind up being the only one on the ballot come November, Mr. McGovern, who said he makes an effort to be in his district almost every weekend, said he is not taking anything for granted.
“Politics is an uncertain business,” he said. “When I won in 1996, I wasn’t supposed to win. I was the longest of long shots. Anything could happen in this business.”
As unopposed candidates are expected to, Mr. McGovern has contributed money — almost $25,000 — to his party and individual Democrats. He donated $4,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign between March and May of last year, and he donated $2,000 to U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas in September after she won the special election for former U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan’s seat. Mr. McGovern also donated $10,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2007, a year after donating $100,000 for the 2006 election in which Democrats regained the majority in both houses of Congress.
With House members from all 10 Massachusetts congressional districts up for reelection, eight of those races are still uncontested. Mr. McGovern has raised the second most of those eight, behind U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal’s, D-Springfield, $640,308.
Massie Ritsch, the communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics, said incumbents running unopposed are inclined to build up robust campaign funds early on to discourage others from entering the race.
“The best way to make sure you don’t have any opposition is to scare off anybody with a large war chest,” Mr. Ritsch said.
Potential challengers for congressional seats in Massachusetts have until May 6 to declare their candidacy. But it is unlikely a Republican can pose a legitimate threat to McGovern’s chances of serving a seventh term in Congress, said David Schaefer, a political science professor at the College of the Holy Cross. Mr. Schaefer, who has lived in the 3rd Congressional District for more than 30 years, said it is unlikely a Republican would be able to afford the time and resources needed to unseat a Democrat in Massachusetts, which has not sent a Republican to Congress since Mr. McGovern defeated Peter I. Blute in the 1996 election.
“Someone who usually would be a good candidate is a successful person – let’s say a businessman – who’s not going to invest time and money into what’s a doomed cause,” said Mr. Schaefer, adding he believes the district is “missing out” on important political debate because of the lack of competition to Mr. McGovern.
“Competition is not a bad thing, but it’s not my job to find myself an opponent,” Mr. McGovern said. “Even if I don’t have a race, I still think it’s important to go out and talk to people about issues.”
Barring any scandal or dramatic shift in the political climate, the Bay State’s congressional Democrats should not expect too much of a threat come November, said Jeff Gulati, a political science professor at Bentley College. Until then, being financially prepared for the unexpected is key.
“If something might happen in September in October, it may be when Republicans field the dream candidate for once in a lifetime,” Mr. Gulati said. “You never know.”
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