Frank Contributes More to Democratic Candidates in 2008 than 2006
FRANK MONEY
The New Bedford Standard-Times
Courtney Hime
Boston University Washington News Service
October 30, 2008
WASHINGTON – Rep. Barney Frank’s campaign committee is giving money to nearly twice as many U.S. House candidates in 2008 than it did in 2006.
Rep. Frank has donated to 80 Democratic candidates for the House since January 2007, up from the 41 he supported in the 2006 election cycle, according to his filings with the Federal Election Commission. Additionally, his campaign has almost tripled the amount of money it is giving, donating $230,000 to candidates this year compared to the $83,000 it contributed last cycle.
According to the contribution limits set by the FEC, Rep. Frank’s campaign committee is allowed to donate up to $10,000 per election cycle – $5,000 for the primary and $5,000 for the general election – to another candidate’s campaign committee.
Rep. Frank attributed his increase in donations to his more prominent role in the House. As chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Rep. Frank said he is expected to donate more money to House campaigns.
“It’s one thing to be the senior [member] in the minority, but in the majority, you’re expected to,” he said.
Being the chairman, he said, better equips him to raise money – a total of $1,880,978 during this election cycle.
“I get to raise more money, frankly, because I’m chairman,” Rep. Frank said. “I’m more prominent.”
He said that he has increased the number of candidates he is supporting in order to pick up more Democratic seats in the House.
“We have more chances, we think, to win,” Rep. Frank said. “I think that it’s my obligation.”
Rep. Frank’s challenger for his own reelection, Republican Earl Sholley, has raised $17,756. He was unavailable for comment.
In addition to the contributions made to House candidates, Rep. Frank is also expected to donate money to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. This cycle, his campaign donated $650,000 to the committee. It also contributed $30,000 to the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee – Federal Fund.
During this election cycle, Rep. Frank is supporting House candidates from 37 different states. Of the 80 candidates receiving funds from Rep. Frank this year, 29 of them received money in the 2006 election cycle. Of the 41 candidates he supported in 2006, 21 of them went on to win.
RealClearPolitics.com, an independent political Web site that tracks the federal elections, offers polls and statistics about the 2008 House races. According to its list of the 50 seats most likely to switch political party, seven of the candidates Rep. Frank is supporting are sitting incumbents in tight races.
Reps. Nancy Boyda (D-Kan.), Steven Kagen (D -Wiss), Nicholas Lampson (D-Texas), Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.), Jim Marshall (D-Ga.), Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) and John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) all face tightening races in the days leading up to the election.
During this election cycle, 27 of the candidates Rep Frank is supporting are challenging incumbents. RealClearPolitics.com placed 19 of those races on its list of House seats likely to switch party after the election.
In 2006, all but one of Rep. Frank’s donations came in the last two months before the election. This year, his donations have been spread throughout the election cycle, with 63 individual donations in 2008 and 50 donations in 2007.
Rep. Frank donated an average of $2,923 to the candidates he supported. In 2006, his average was slightly less, $2,024, indicating that the increase in money spent comes from supporting more candidates rather than spending more on one particular candidate.
There are, however, several candidates getting more than the average. Rep. Frank. donated the most money to Kay Barnes, running for the 6th District seat in Missouri, and Donald Cazayoux, running for the 6th District seat in Louisiana; each received $6,000. Both candidates are running tight races against Republican incumbents.
In addition to the House races he’s supporting, Rep. Frank also donated money to Reps. Thomas Allen (D-Maine) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.), who are both running for the Senate.
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