More "Open Secrets": Fletcher slightly edges Northup in money chase.

The various campaigns have released their campaign reports 32 days before the May Primary. To view the complete filings, please visit the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance website. The filed information shows that since Northup joined the Governor's race, she has raised $1 million (excluding the $.5 million she gave her campaign. NOTE: Much ado has been made about the fact she contributed money to her campaign, with some people speculating that she did so because she is NOT raising enough money. But those who speculate so, rightly or wrongly, also miss the point that she may feel very comfortable about winning that she is willing to bet her own money. Otherwise, one would wonder why else she would risk her finances this way, if there was NO chance of her winning. Just my thoughts)!

Her campaign finance information also shows that she has nearly a million dollars left (counting the $.5 million she loaned herself, or $980,214.00 for the final stretch). For a list of Northup's prominent contributors, which includes Senator Jim Bunning, and a few former Fletcher allies, like Jim Host, Bill Stone, Basil Turbyfil, etc., please visit here.

Fletcher on the other hand, has raised $1.29 million since Mrs. Northup joined the race (an amount a Fletcher critic suggested was about the same he raised in 2003 without the aid of incumbency. Overall, Fletcher has raised 2.9 million and spent nearly $2 million) -- all of which appears to have been raised from contributors -- no loan to the campaign for Fletcher -- though he has been criticized for holding fund-raisers in the same area and time just as he is handing out checks to local communities, a practice which outrages some who say it resembles a "quid pro quo" and others view as politics as usual practiced by Fletcher's predecessors -- like Paul Patton.

Fletcher has nearly a million dollars left ($935,819.00 to be exact, slightly less than Northup's, for the final stretch). For a list of Fletcher's prominent contributors, which include County Judge Executives, Government employees, Lobbyists, Contractors, etc., please click here.

Billy Harper has not yet filed his reports, though he is self-financing his campaign and has added another $2.5 million to his campaign, thereby bringing his total to $5 million and change.

On the Democratic side, only two candidates have filed. I will have a new posting for them once the filing deadline passes tonight. You may view the down ticket candidates filings here.

CAVEAT: I must post this analysis with a caveat. As many of you know, I am one who decries the corrupting influence of monied interests on our Democratic process. Moreover, I do NOT believe the voters are ALWAYS FOOLED into voting for the candidate with the most money. So it is with that understanding that I am posting all this information for you to use however you choose to do so. As for me, all the information makes ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE in who I will be voting for come May 22nd!