This post has been updated with clarifications.
Republican Maggie Brooks outraised Democrat Louise
Slaughter over the past month. But Slaughter has raised more than $1 million
during the 2011-12 Congressional election cycle.
Brooks, who got a later start on fund-raising, has brought in about $773,000.
Tack that amount on to Slaughter’s total and the candidates have raised a
combined total of just less than $2 million. (Brooks’ filing is available here, Slaughter’s here.)
The candidates filed their July quarterly reports yesterday, though the
documents contained about one month’s worth of contributions and expenditures.
Both candidates filed pre-primary reports in June, which listed the
contributions they received in the first two months of the quarter. Last week,
the Brooks and Slaughter campaigns sent out dueling press releases touting the
full-quarter fundraising: Brooks’ release said she raised $521,000 while
Slaughter’s release said she’d raised more than$530,000. (A Slaughter
spokesperson points out that she actually raised $536,000 for the full
quarter.)
Brooks brought in approximately $335,000 between June 7 and 30, Slaughter
approximately $294,000. The Federal Election Commission permits individuals to
give $2,500 to per candidate, per election. Many of Brooks’ contributors appear
to have maxed out. For example, Buffalo
businessman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino gave her $2,500, as did Colleen Wegman and Nicole Wegman. Among
the people who gave Slaughter $2,500: Mayor Tom Richards and attorney and
developer Lewis Norry. Slaughter racked up more
contributors, who tended to give her smaller amounts.
Slaughter and Brooks each received contributions of varying amounts from
members of the Wilmot family. And both received substantial contributions from
political action committees: $99,125 for Brooks and $116,150 for Slaughter. ActBlue and Emily’s List, both progressive PAC’s, directed
thousands of dollars in contributions from individuals to Slaughter’s campaign.
This article appears in Jul 11-18, 2012.
