Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2007 > October > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBroun loaded with debt, out-raised 5-to-1 by Fleming
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, the Athens Republican elected this summer, has been out-raised by more than 5-to-1 in the last three months by his GOP challenger, state Rep. Barry Fleming of Harlem.
Fleming, who announced for the 10th District seat on Sept. 12, had raised $273,000 as of Sept. 30, according to federal campaign disclosure reports filed Monday.
Broun reports $52,149 raised in the last three months. More important, he’s still carrying a debt of $293,079 from the special election — which he won in a run-off against former state senator Jim Whitehead of Columbia County.
“The people elected me to go to work for them, not to selfishly spend my time raising campaign dollars for the 2008 election,” Broun said in a statement issued late Monday.
Democrat Bobby Saxon of Nicholson, Ga., a former Iraq veteran who also entered the race this summer, reports $32,828 in contributions.
Broun’s election in July was prompted by the death of Republican incumbent Charlie Norwood of Augusta.
The new congressman said by the time he took office in July, his district had been without representation for nearly six months.
Said Broun:
“Focusing on service to the people rather than on campaign finances resulted in a cash-on-hand balance that politicians and media pundits find less than impressive.
“However, I have no regrets for putting people before politics, and people before my own political image.”
Comments
By Anonymous
October 16, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this
Oh, fer pity’s sake… why not just go ahead and spell it out? The richest person wins the election. Democracy is a fairy tale.
You can’t run a “serious” campaign unless you have more money than 99.9% of voters have ever seen in their lives. Every office is for sale, people.
By Craig
October 16, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this
And Whitehead outraised Broun by how much again? Does wads of cash translate into votes? I’m sure all of those years in the Legislature translate into special interests and favors turning into cash as well. Last time, Whitehead tried to turn Broun into the far right nut. So will Fleming also try to run to the left to beat Broun? Will Fleming try to be the middle of the road fence-sitting moderate?
By Athens, GA
October 16, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this
Bobby Saxon is not from Lincolnton. He is from Nicholson, which is in Jackson County.
James Marlow, the last candidate, was from Lincolnton.
By From the 10th
October 16, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
The State Capitol good ‘ole boys tried to shove one of their own down our throats last time. Now they are going to try and unseat an incumbant Congressman? I don’t think so. Flemming might have more cash on hand to buy slick TV commercials, but Broun has a staff and an office to work on behalf of the District from now ‘til Election Day. Plus, I’m sure he’ll get his debt paid down soon.
By Bill
October 17, 2007 6:30 AM | Link to this
Broun has made one thing perfectly clear: Money does not always buy elections in Georgia! Good for him.
By Sensibility
October 17, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this
What people aren’t saying here is that Broun won 1) because Dems voted for him in the Special, which will not happen in the 2008 primary because the Dems have other elections to worry about and 2) Jim Whitehead said a bunch of stupid things - something which Fleming hasn’t done. There’s plenty of time until this election, of course, but I find it very telling that people are putting their money behind someone other than the incumbent. There are more small donors than big donors on Fleming’s report, as much as the other posters here are loathe to admit.
By Craig
October 17, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this
Sensibility, are you Holly? This logic seems awfully familiar. And if I recall, Whitehead raked in far more money than Broun so money doesn’t win elections. And if I recall, Whitehead’s people downplayed the effect of the “foot in mouth disease” and said it had no effect. Has this changed now he lost? And do tell what elections the “Crossover Dems” will be more concerned about. As far as I can tell only the Senate race is worth mentioning on the Dem side.
I love the grand conspiracy that Broun who managed to win quite a few votes beyond Whitehead’s area could somehow lose all of those votes over someone who doesn’t appear to be all that different. Again, Broun was painted as the far right nut last time. Will Fleming do that and even try to be the moderate in the race? Seeing big government grow bigger and more money being hoarded by the Legislature, is that a wise tactic to take?
By Holly
October 17, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this
Hi, Craig. I’ll post under my name if I have anything to say. But nice of you to ask after me! :-)
By Kepper
October 19, 2007 7:52 AM | Link to this
Broun sold out his party to get the dems in Clarke county to vote for him. No doubt about it. He took advantage of low voter turn-out (less than 9%) and NARROWLY won. If you don’t buy that logic, Craig, then you haven’t been paying attention. Remember, less than a month earlier, Whitehead beat both Broun and Marlow by 2 to 1 in votes(44% to 21% for each of the other two). Had there not been 10 candidates, I believe Whitehead would have won with 50%+ needed to win outright. So, call it what it is. Broun cheated and stole the election and now it’s time he gets paid back. I don’t like Fleming, but I like Broun a whole lot less. Anyone who is not allowed to practice medicine inside a hospital in the state of Ga. should not be elected to any office. Paul Broun Jr. is a crook.