Rand Paul's "Money Bomb" Is Set For June 28. Check It Out.
Paul plans 1st online 'moneybomb' of gen election
By BRUCE SCHREINER
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Following in his famous dad's footsteps, Kentucky Republican senatorial candidate Rand Paul is tapping into a rich pipeline through online fundraising - an increasingly popular source of campaign cash for candidates around the country.
It's a method that supplied Paul with nearly $1 million during just three days of Web-based fundraising during the primary, and another bonanza might be on the horizon this month.
Paul, making his first run for elective office, faces an expensive fall campaign against Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway for the Senate seat held by Republican Jim Bunning, who is retiring.
Paul supporters are being encouraged to contribute to a June 28 "moneybomb" - in which online contributions can accumulate into hefty amounts that can replenish campaign coffers and offer a burst of momentum. It's the first one-day, online fundraising blitz for Paul since he won the GOP nomination in May.
Conway campaign spokeswoman Allison Haley said Friday that the Democratic candidate has had "an outpouring of support" from online sources, but she didn't immediately provide any numbers.
"The ability to raise money online is indicative of grassroots support from the regular folks whose votes you need to earn," said Kurt Luidhardt, vice president of Indiana-based Prosper Group Corp., which helped manage Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown's website and his multimillion-dollar online fundraising operation.
Paul's campaign took in about $900,000 from three separate days of Web-based fundraising - including a $400,000 haul around the time the Bowling Green eye surgeon entered the Senate race as a longshot.
Those fundraising events, as well as the upcoming one, were organized by supporters, Paul campaign manager Jesse Benton said Friday.
"This doesn't have to be from wealthy people," Benton said, noting that the average online contribution for Paul is just under $100. "This can be from teachers, construction workers and coal miners."
Paul, whose outsider status and criticism of government spending caught on with tea party activists, defeated Trey Grayson, Kentucky's secretary of state, in last month's GOP Senate primary.
Paul's father, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, reaped millions in online campaign contributions during his failed run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Ron Paul's supporters united for one-day, online fundraising blitzes that infused his campaign with badly needed cash.
In Nevada, Republican Sharron Angle has received more than $400,000 in online contributions since winning her party's Senate nomination on Tuesday, setting up a fall campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Prosper Group is managing Angle's website and her online fundraising operation.
Brown, who scored an upset victory in Massachusetts earlier in the year, took in $1.3 million in one day from online contributions - which triggered more waves of Web-based giving, Luidhardt said.
"A successful `moneybomb' begets more money," he said.
Besides tapping grassroots support, another advantage of online fundraising is the "almost complete lack of overhead," Benton said. Traditional fundraisers generate campaign expenses for food, facilities and printing costs for invitations, he said.
Still, the Web is just part of the equation.
"This isn't something that you can rely on," Benton said. "They're wonderful and they're extremely helpful, but we have to make sure that we raise money in traditional ways as well."
The June 28 online blitz comes in the midst of a hectic fundraising schedule for Paul.
He has a high-dollar fundraiser set for June 24 at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in Washington, D.C., followed by fundraisers set for June 29 in Lexington and the next day in Louisville.
Both Senate campaigns are scrambling for cash before the current fundraising quarter wraps up at the end of June. Campaign-finance reports for the quarter will be scrutinized to see if either campaign has a fundraising edge.
Meanwhile, Conway's campaign accused Paul of violating a campaign pledge to take no campaign contributions from any senator who voted for a massive bailout fund for the nation's beleaguered financial sector.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is a host of the Washington fundraiser at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. McConnell and many other GOP senators voted for the bailout.
"Rand Paul is abandoning his principles so fast it makes your head spin," Haley said.
Benton called the claim "silly" and said it was meant to distract voters from Conway's positions on the issues.
By BRUCE SCHREINER
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Following in his famous dad's footsteps, Kentucky Republican senatorial candidate Rand Paul is tapping into a rich pipeline through online fundraising - an increasingly popular source of campaign cash for candidates around the country.
It's a method that supplied Paul with nearly $1 million during just three days of Web-based fundraising during the primary, and another bonanza might be on the horizon this month.
Paul, making his first run for elective office, faces an expensive fall campaign against Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway for the Senate seat held by Republican Jim Bunning, who is retiring.
Paul supporters are being encouraged to contribute to a June 28 "moneybomb" - in which online contributions can accumulate into hefty amounts that can replenish campaign coffers and offer a burst of momentum. It's the first one-day, online fundraising blitz for Paul since he won the GOP nomination in May.
Conway campaign spokeswoman Allison Haley said Friday that the Democratic candidate has had "an outpouring of support" from online sources, but she didn't immediately provide any numbers.
"The ability to raise money online is indicative of grassroots support from the regular folks whose votes you need to earn," said Kurt Luidhardt, vice president of Indiana-based Prosper Group Corp., which helped manage Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown's website and his multimillion-dollar online fundraising operation.
Paul's campaign took in about $900,000 from three separate days of Web-based fundraising - including a $400,000 haul around the time the Bowling Green eye surgeon entered the Senate race as a longshot.
Those fundraising events, as well as the upcoming one, were organized by supporters, Paul campaign manager Jesse Benton said Friday.
"This doesn't have to be from wealthy people," Benton said, noting that the average online contribution for Paul is just under $100. "This can be from teachers, construction workers and coal miners."
Paul, whose outsider status and criticism of government spending caught on with tea party activists, defeated Trey Grayson, Kentucky's secretary of state, in last month's GOP Senate primary.
Paul's father, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, reaped millions in online campaign contributions during his failed run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Ron Paul's supporters united for one-day, online fundraising blitzes that infused his campaign with badly needed cash.
In Nevada, Republican Sharron Angle has received more than $400,000 in online contributions since winning her party's Senate nomination on Tuesday, setting up a fall campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Prosper Group is managing Angle's website and her online fundraising operation.
Brown, who scored an upset victory in Massachusetts earlier in the year, took in $1.3 million in one day from online contributions - which triggered more waves of Web-based giving, Luidhardt said.
"A successful `moneybomb' begets more money," he said.
Besides tapping grassroots support, another advantage of online fundraising is the "almost complete lack of overhead," Benton said. Traditional fundraisers generate campaign expenses for food, facilities and printing costs for invitations, he said.
Still, the Web is just part of the equation.
"This isn't something that you can rely on," Benton said. "They're wonderful and they're extremely helpful, but we have to make sure that we raise money in traditional ways as well."
The June 28 online blitz comes in the midst of a hectic fundraising schedule for Paul.
He has a high-dollar fundraiser set for June 24 at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in Washington, D.C., followed by fundraisers set for June 29 in Lexington and the next day in Louisville.
Both Senate campaigns are scrambling for cash before the current fundraising quarter wraps up at the end of June. Campaign-finance reports for the quarter will be scrutinized to see if either campaign has a fundraising edge.
Meanwhile, Conway's campaign accused Paul of violating a campaign pledge to take no campaign contributions from any senator who voted for a massive bailout fund for the nation's beleaguered financial sector.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is a host of the Washington fundraiser at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. McConnell and many other GOP senators voted for the bailout.
"Rand Paul is abandoning his principles so fast it makes your head spin," Haley said.
Benton called the claim "silly" and said it was meant to distract voters from Conway's positions on the issues.
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