Ehrlich reports raising $2.8 million
The Republican former governor, down in recent polls, has been raising significant amounts of campaign money, his aides say. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and running mate Mary Kane have collected more than $2.8 million since the end of August, said Ehrlich spokesman Henry Fawell.
The pair had about $1.77 million* left in the bank as of Sunday night, Fawell said, adding that 98 percent of the money raised came from Maryland families and small businesses and that the campaign took out no loans.
"This strong showing demonstrates that Maryland families and small businesses continue to embrace Bob Ehrlich’s vision of strong leadership to create more jobs, lower taxes, and hold the line on government spending," Fawell said in an email.
There might be a damage-control aspect to releasing the numbers this morning.
Also out this morning is a Gonzales poll showing Gov. Martin O'Malley ahead by five points -- the third survey in recent weeks with the Democratic incumbent leading Ehrlich. And yesterday, we reported that the cash-flush Republican Governors Association had cut at least one ad buy for Ehrlich.
The last campaign finance reporting period before the Nov. 2 election closed Sunday night. Reports are due just before midnight Saturday to the State Board of Elections, meaning we might not see the official documents until this weekend or early next week.
O'Malley's campaign hasn't released his numbers yet, but as of the last reporting period, which became public in early September, he had $6.5 million in the bank, compared to Ehrlich's $2.5 million at the time.
* Corrected from earlier posting.
Comments
I question why you think this would be a damage control release? O'Malley has run a very negative campaign, not once talking about what he is going to do to help create jobs, pay for the purple line, keep higher education funding down and to reform a pension system that is significantly under-funded. O'Malley is a snake and people will start to wake up this week!
Posted by: Miles Long | October 19, 2010 9:45 AM
and how much was paid out to his flunkies Shurick, Mr. and Mrs. Massoni, Fawell and Barth?
Posted by: Anonymous | October 19, 2010 9:52 AM
Julie, will you please report on whether Sarah Palin's guy Coale is giving O'Malley another half milllion?
Posted by: Eddie | October 19, 2010 11:37 AM
Miles Long, don't look now, but Ehrlich has run a very negative campaign as well. It's likely a damage control release because it's not really that big funding-wise in the grand scheme of things. It's "above average" enough to merit news attention, but it comes just as the RGA announced it's "shifting" funds to other races, and as Gonzales released its poll.
Posted by: IPFrehley | October 19, 2010 1:37 PM
IPFrehley,
They both have run a negative campaigns.
But that is Maryland politics as usual.
I will be happy once this election is over.
What has suprised me was Baltimore County Executive primary race was just as bad.
We need to stop rewarding people for going negative during the campaign.
The people running are worse then little children with the attack ads
Posted by: Les | October 20, 2010 10:58 PM