Michele Bachmann attracts small donors, but lacks big-dollar bundlers

Washington Times ^ | 07/18/2011 | By Seth McLaughlin

[SeekAndFind]

Rep. Michele Bachmann’s latest campaign finance report shows she has a strong network of small-dollar donors backing her presidential bid but, for now, she lacks the support of the big-money bundlers.

The report, which covers April to June, showed that Mrs. Bachmann collected more than $4.2 million and had $3.6 million in the bank — putting her neck-and-neck with Texas Rep. Ron Paul for second place in the early money chase and in the rearview mirror of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who raised $18 million and has $12.7 million in the bank.

With six months until the caucuses and primaries next year, the financial reports provide a glimpse into candidates’ abilities to draw the kind of support needed to win the partys nomination and put up a strong fight in the general election against President Obama, who raised $86 million in the three months that ended June 30.

Mrs. Bachmann raised $2.2 million over the past two weeks and transferred $2 million from her congressional campaign committee account. Her88,000 donations averaged $48 a pop.

The three-term congresswoman, though, has struggled to gain the backing of the all important high-dollar bundlers who can tap financial networks for hundreds of thousands of dollars for a campaign.

The challenge in front of Mrs. Bachmann is clear: Can the tea party favorite translate the grass-roots support that helped her raise almost $14 million for her re-election last year into the kind of mainstream credibility necessary to attract the major fundraisers who are crucial to a serious White House run.

[SeekAndFind]

Speaking of Big Money folks... I wonder who the Koch Brothers are favoring...

[cripplecreek]

Small donors translate into votes more accurately than large.

[WOBBLY BOB]

Barry has the market cornered on foreign donors named Test Person.

**Fictitious Donors Found in Obama Finance Records**
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/us/politics/10donate.html?ref=politics
Last December, someone using the name “Test Person,” from “Some Place, UT,” made a series of contributions, the largest being $764, to Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign totaling $2,410.07.
Someone identifying himself as “Jockim Alberton,” from 1581 Leroy Avenue in Wilmington, Del., began giving to Mr. Obama last November, contributing $10 and $25 at a time for a total of $445 through the end of February.
The only problem? There is no Leroy Avenue in Wilmington. And Jockim Alberton, who listed his employer and occupation as “Fdsa Fdsa,” does not show up in a search of public records.

[RIghtwardHo]

They likely fall into two camps:

1. Waiting for Sarah or;

2. Already on board with RINO Romney.

[Maverick68]

In other words, she’s the “man of the little people” obama claims to be.....even tho’ she’s OBVIOUSLY not a man...

[broken_arrow1]

ROMNEY can KMA!

[ScottinVA]

The three-term congresswoman, though, has struggled to gain the backing of the all important high-dollar bundlers who can tap financial networks for hundreds of thousands of dollars for a campaign.

That'll change as she continues to get traction. Donors want to make sure she isn't a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon.

[newzjunkey]

If she gets traction, it's all over and Obama's president until 2017.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: If she gets traction, it’s all over and Obama’s president until 2017.

OK, tell us who SHOULD get traction in order for it NOT to be over so that Obama will not be in the White House till 2017?

[CowboyJay]

"That'll change as she continues to get traction. Donors want to make sure she isn't a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon."

I imagine the big money lobbies will be backing Romney and Perry (if he declares) in the primaries. If Bachmann wins the nomination, most (but not all) of them would back her against Obama. Personally waiting 'til the field is set to make donations.

[RED SOUTH]

You hit the nail on the head. Mitt has locked up some , the rest is waiting on the side for Perry & Palin. Perry and Palin have been sending strong messages to donors to keep their powder dry. The biggest fundraiser in IA is already locked for Palin and won't even talk to Bachmann's people.

[RED SOUTH]

And , Bachmann will not be the nominee. She is at her peak right now and when Perry gets in , her little ride will be over , just like Cain’s surge ended when Bachmann got in. It’s the flavor of the month process right now. The field is far from settled. the lesson from 08 was that , getting in a year before the IA vote does you no good at all.

[jivin gene]

“Barry has the market cornered on foreign donors named Test Person.”

Any “big-dollar bundler” for any pubbie will be investigated up, down and inside-out by the “obammy whorehouse” ie MSM.

[Grandma Conservative]

I don't see that. What I have learned from past experience is that the big money boys would rather have a liberal in charge than a conservative. I would bet they would back a third party candidacy or even Obama himself before they would ever think about supporting a "loose cannon" like Bachmann.

Personally I doubt we will ever see Bachmann nominated especially once Perry enters the race. He will take enough voters away from her to keep her from winning. He will be billed as the conservative who can beat Obama and many Republican voters will fall for it, not to mention all the Dem crossover voters messing with the primaries. Heads they win, Tails we lose.

[Grandma Conservative]

The irony being that she will have trouble gaining traction if donors don’t get behind her now while the iron is hot.

[CowboyJay]

The banks, insurance companies, and the union goons may still love Obama, but the US Chamber of Commerce, Club for Growth, and medical professional associations hate him with a purple passion. Whoever wins the Republican nomination will get backing from the people Obama has PO’d, and they’ll spend millions more running negative ads against him during campaign season.

Although I agree with you that if Perry sticks his thumb in the gravy bowl, he’ll ruin it for conservatives, and Mitt’s about 95% sure to win the nomination. Really no point in sending money to other presidential candidates until RINO Ricky makes up his mind either way.

[Friendofgeorge]

A very wise Freeper said just the other day, Gov Palin could raise more money than that before lunch.

They make it sound like the transfer of 2 million from one account to the other somehow means she raised 4 million??

Also it looks like Michele has just flipped flopped on Jim Demint`s pledge, now all of a sudden she is for it?

[Grandma Conservative]

I strongly disagree about withholding contributions. Now is the time to support the conservative candidate before things get away from us. We must build momentum now and keep it going. It is really our only chance, small as it may be, to nominate one of our own. I dread having to vote for Perry of Romney.