Say Anything Blog

And Republican incumbent John Hoeven has a heavy fund raising lead over liberal challenger Tim Mathern.  Hoeven is over $1.5 million.  Mathern is just over $100,000.

Hoeven is reporting that 87% of his money came from North Dakotans, but that’s a little misleading.  Sure 87% of his contributors are from North Dakota, but according to his last disclosure report from 2007 Hoeven raked in $1,263,891.50 with over $495,000 of it coming from out-of-state contributors.

87% of Hoeven’s contributors may come from North Dakota, but roughly 40% of his money (at least according to his last filed report for 2007) comes from out of state.

Mathern’s report doesn’t seem to be available on the Sec. of State’s website just yet, but with the paltry amount he’s raised I’m guessing he got most of his money from North Dakota.  Which is odd, because usually North Dakota Democrats are able to handily out-raise North Dakota Republicans thanks to the millions they get from out of state contributors who funnel cash down to their campaign through PAC’s and campaign funds run by Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan along with Representative Earl Pomeroy.

There’s till time yet for Mathern’s campaign to be infused with out-of-state millions laundered by Dorgan, Conrad and Pomeroy but I’m wondering if the money will even come.  Mathern doesn’t have a shot at beating Hoeven no matter how much money he has in his war chest, and really why would North Dakota’s “big three” Democrats want to replace Hoeven anyway? 

On most statewide issues, at least fiscal issues, Hoeven is about as liberal as they are so why not just let him stay in office?