CQ TODAY PRINT EDITION
– POLITICS
July 21, 2008 – 6:21 p.m.
Campaign Cash Flows to Pelosi’s Republican Opponent Despite Difficult Odds
By Edward Epstein and Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Staff
Running against Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her home district in San Francisco is as close to a political suicide mission as a Republican can undertake — but unlike her underfunded predecessors, GOP nominee Dana Walsh won’t lack for money.
Walsh, an interior designer and member of the San Francisco GOP central committee, had raised $363,871 as of June 30, according to CQ MoneyLine. Her campaign had $45,168 on hand, with the report showing that most of the money raised went toward the cost of setting up a national direct-mail fundraising operation.
Her campaign consultant, California GOP veteran Harvey Hukari, said the campaign aims to raise almost $1 million before the Nov. 4 election in California’s 8th District. With that money, he estimated Walsh will have enough money to run a direct-mail and cable TV ad campaign.
Such a big dollar figure represents a major change for a GOP nominee against Pelosi, who since her first election to the House in 1987 has been re-elected to 10 full terms with an average of 81 percent of the vote.
Pelosi’s 2006 GOP opponent, Mike DeNunzio, reported raising $149,842 for his campaign against the Democrat; he received 10.7 percent of the vote.
A complicating factor in November could be the potential candidacy of anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, who has to collect more than 10,000 voters’ signatures by Aug. 8 to win a place on the ballot as an independent. Her second-quarter report was not available from the Federal Election Commission.
The high profiles of Pelosi and Sheehan have helped Walsh raise funds, according to Walsh and Hukari. “I’m running against two of the most dangerous women in America,’’ Walsh says on her campaign Web site.
Pelosi, long one of the House’s most prodigious fundraisers, reported that her Nancy Pelosi for Congress campaign took in $2.4 million through June 30. It had $455,138 on hand. Some $1.4 million of the money raised was donated by the Speaker to Democrats seeking House seats.
Walsh said she knows the odds against her are long. “It’s a two-party system. Someone has to run,’’ she said.
She describes herself as a San Francisco Republican of libertarian bent on some issues. But her platform calls for no pullout from Iraq, a halt to illegal immigration and energy independence, which she says should include allowing oil drilling on Alaska’s North Slope — all unpopular positions in the district.
The 8th Congressional District, which includes most of San Francisco, is home to many wealthy GOP contributors, but with Democrats enjoying a 6-to-1 registration edge over Republicans and the Speaker as a neighbor, many have shied away from the Walsh campaign, Hukari said.
According to a CQ MoneyLine analysis of contributors who identified where they lived, the second-quarter campaign finance reports showed that 27 percent of Walsh’s money came from within California.
That analysis also showed Pelosi receiving 47 percent of her campaign contributions from within California; much of that money came from within San Francisco.
Comments
What happens to the Speaker spot if Pelosi is defeated, and what if (slim chance) , a Republican wins? That's right, I really don't know! Do the right thing, take a minute and educate an old goat! Thanks, cg
CG, If Pelosi is defeated, I am pretty sure the Democrats in the House will vote to elect a new Speaker as long as they are still in the majority. They certainly will still be in majority after the November election. So, regardless of whether Pelosi wins or loses, the Speaker spot will remain in Democratic hands. I am not educated enough on the power dynamics of the House to say who might run for her spot. I think this analysis is correct, please correct me if I am wrong.
Then the Democrats, who would still be, most likely, in the majority, would vote another Democrat as Speaker, who would, most likely, be Steny Hoyer.
The Speaker of the House is Elected by the Democratic Representatives. Should she lose her district's election, the spot will become available and someone else will be elected to her post for the next Congress.
"What happens to the Speaker spot if Pelosi is defeated". They elect a new Speaker. Simple as that.
I hope the campaign against her wastes lots of R money. I'm from San Francisco, believe me there is absolutely no chance she could lose.
Though I hate republicans, but Pelozi even vorse. I hope she will loose it
I think most posters here have missed the point. Of course the Dems elect a new speaker (assuming the likely outcome they still control the house). The more important point here is that the dems lose their figurehead in the house. Assume for a second that Pelosi, Reid and Obama run the country for eight years and we also end up with an activist, liberal supreme court at the end. I'd never want full GOP majority and certainly don't want socialism - which is sure to come if these hardcore leftists grab all the controls.
Pelosi needs to be voted out she's a loon and has no interest in the good of this country. San Francisco is hurting the nation re-elected this freak! All of these idiots that walk around convincing themselves that they are gods need to be fired. They are public servants and need to be reminded of that fact.
I use to call myself a rebublican, and was against democrats. then i came to the realization that i hope all americans come to. i,m an american, and as an american i want the best for all americans. todays political game is about personal power not the interests of the american people. and without a doubt the most power hungry personal intrest driven political person today is nancy pelosi.she doesnt care what is best for the country ,but what is best for nancy pelosi. now i,m not a californian, so my vote does not matter in her re-election. BUT!!!!!!!!! her getting re-elected does affect me and my family. open your eyes san fransisco!!!!!!!!!!! she is destoying this country and it,s up to you to save it .DO NOT RE-ELECT NANCY PELOSI SAVE OUR COUNTRY.
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