Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud leads his Republican 2nd Congressional District opponents in fundraising by a wide margin, according to the latest campaign finance data.
Through May 23, Michaud had raised a total of $813,686 — including $95,023 from April 1 to May 23 — to Republican Kevin Raye’s $188,453 and GOP candidate Blaine Richardson’s $7,535, the candidates’ pre-primary Federal Election Commission filings state. Michaud’s numbers include a refund of about $3,500.
Michaud reported $45,273 in contributions from individuals from the period of time known as the preprimary ― April 1 to May 23 ― and $288,912 from January 2011 to May 23, his filing states.
Most of the rest of Michaud’s contributions came from a host of nonparty or political action committees, unions, associations, and corporations. Michaud garnered $49,750 in contributions from PACs from April 1 to May 23 and listed $528,250 as his total in PAC contributions since Jan. 1, 2011.
Those numbers, Raye campaign consultant Kathie Summers-Grice said, shows who Michaud really represents.
“He is real top-heavy with PAC contributions and other inside-the-beltway stuff. I think the national average is 41 percent and Mike is at something like 65 percent,” Summers-Grice said. “That shows a politician who is more in touch with inside-the-beltway politics than what’s happening in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.”
Michaud is very much in touch with his district, said his campaign manager, Greg Olson.
“At the end of the day, this race isn’t about money. It’s about the people of the 2nd Congressional District,” Olson said. Kevin Raye’s campaign is “doing a lot of dissecting of our finances because they are not pleased with their own. He [Raye] is not keeping pace with his own fundraising from 10 years ago.”
Unions representing steelworkers, firefighters, carpenters, electricians, creditors, utility workers, painters, and municipal employees have each contributed between $4,000 and $5,000 to Michaud’s campaign, the filings state.
Unions or PACs representing teachers, beer distributors, Home Depot, emergency medical workers, and insurance agents contributed $2,500 each.
“There are a broad spectrum of people that support Mike, from working people to people who create jobs here in Maine,” Olson said.
Michaud’s largest individual contributors include Leon Gorman, the former CEO and current chairman of the board of L.L. Bean, and his wife, Lisa, who each gave a total of $5,000, and Imad Khalidi, who also contributed $5,000. Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rosa Scarcelli contributed $3,000. Stephen King, Gary Lauder, Nancy Anderson, New Balance Athletic Shoe Chairman James S. Davis are among those who gave $2,500 each, his filing indicates.
Raye’s numbers show that the state Senate president is less successful now than when he first ran against Michaud 10 years ago, Olson said. Raye’s campaign had raised about $50,000 more at this point in 2002 than his campaign has now, Olson said.
Summers-Grice didn’t dispute that assertion. The difference between now and then, she said, is that Raye is a state senate president and not a fulltime candidate, as he was in 2002.
“Obviously Kevin has been very much a part-time candidate now,” she said. “There was a lot more focus on raising the money and campaigning full-time then.”
Raye’s listed contributions from individuals total $183,703 for the entire campaign, with $31,797 coming from April 1 to May 23. He received $4,180 from outside political committees, which can include PACs, from April 1 to May 23 and $4,750 from those sources overall.
Raye contributed $2,967 to his own campaign. Snowe For Senate contributed $2,000 and Republican Majority for Choice contributed $2,500, his filings indicate.
Raye’s campaigners are pleased with his fundraising strength so far, Summers-Grice said, adding that a disparity between challengers and incumbents is expected, with incumbents usually having a significant advantage. Michaud has raised four times as much as Raye in 18 months, while Raye has had only five months to raise funds for his run, Summers-Grice said.
Raye “is most proud of the fact that the very [highest] percentage of his donors are from Maine,” she said. “When you look at it in the context of other [2nd district] races, we are much further ahead that Jason Levesque was at this point in 2010, and Jason gave Mike a very strong run.”
Richardson’s campaign organization, Richardson for Congress 2012, and Richardson himself are his listed contributors. Of his $7,535 in contributions, $6,971 came from April 1 to May 23, according to his filing.
Raye and Richardson discussed some of their campaign goals with WLBZ-Channel 2 News Center’s Pat Callaghan during a segment taped last Wednesday.
Follow BDN writer Nick Sambides Jr. on Twitter at @NickSam2BDN.
I’m willing to bet Summers-Grice is going to change her tune when it comes to the general election.
Kevin Raye doesn’t need such large donations to defeat Mike Michaud. His obsession with denying potential voters the opportunity to register and vote on the same day should suffice.
Mike Michaud has proven how unions have infiltrated/purchased their way into politics.
Where are all the libs and why aren’t they complaining about how special interests are destroying our democracy? I guess it only matters which special interests are buying our country.
Mike Michaud typifies whats wrong with congress and its corrupting influences.
Working people are not a “special interest” in the same sense as a profit-making group of investors (also known as a corporation) and if you don’t know why they are different, you should review carefully the true meaning of democracy. I don’t agree with Rep. Michaud on some of the important issues, but at least he has demonstrated that he understands and supports the needs of common workers (the vast majority) more than the investor elite.
He didn’t say “working people.” He said their union.
Dont confuse working people with unions. They are far from the same thing.
I would encorage you to open a history book and read about what life was like for working American’s before we had unions. Hint: it was bad.
Not many education people disagree. Plenty disagree on the role unions can, should, and do play now…particularly in politics.
Sure, but in D.C there are 16 corporate lobbyists for every 1 union or issue advocacy lobbyist. That’s where the vast majority of influence comes from.
I know that this is a hard concept for you to follow,
But, Unions are people my friend!
No different than corporations then, at least in the eyes of the Supreme Court.
This is not a surprise. The real story here is that a very right-wing conservative from a very small community in a very rural, mostly Democratic State, which is currently governed by a very conservative, ultra-right-wing party, actually convinced himself that he was going to be elected to the US Senate in a general election.
Stick with local politics and mustard, my man. Mustard will serve you far better than politics. You are not Washington material, though your mustard is most certainly worthy of some level of national attention.
He’s running to be your Rep not you senator, and Kevin Raye is a long way from “very right wing conservative”.
Kevin Raye is going to lose the primary so he doesn’t have to worry about how much money Mike Michaud has.
“Most of the rest of Michaud’s contributions came from a host of nonparty or political action committees, unions, associations, and corporations.”
I can’t believe people actually think this guy represents them. He is beholden to special interests and Washington insiders who can bankroll his campaign. Mainers have had enough of Michaud forgetting about the people of the second district.
Mainers have had enough of Michaud forgetting about the people of the second district.
So the answer is to elect Raye to forget about them?
Actually, I think that Michaud has done a very good job representing us. He supports veterans, education, business, and has strong moderate viewpoints.
This just shows how much Michaud is out of touch with the second district. We aren’t wealthy, special interests who can give a bunch of money to a campaign. We talk to our friends and tell our neighbors why we’re voting for our guy, and if we’re able to, we give a little bit of money to help with the effort. Kevin Raye gets his money from real people and I know that there are a lot more who support him that aren’t able to give money.
I’m willing to bet that if all his Kevin Raye’s contributors are listed, we’ll find that there is a lot of corporate money being sent his way.Oh, damn I forgot, corporations are people too!Sorry,this is just another r who wants to keep people away from the ballot box any way he can. He just doesn’t “cut the mustard” for me. I apologize, it just had to be said! As I send my few bucks to Michaud ,I’ll send him a copy of my birth certificate so he knows that it came from a “real” person.
Kevin Raye’s donors are listed… And the vast majority of them come from MAINE. That can’t be said of Congressman Michaud so far in this race!
Since the Supreme Court declared Corporations and Unions as people, you will see a ton of money come in for whoever is the winner of the Republican nomination on June 12th. Of course they will run their own ads (read attack ads) and you won’t be able to find out who is putting up the money. That way whoever the candidates are they can say that it wasn’t their money or campaign ad.
You can thank the USSC for the smoke screen that the next election is going to present.
Just wait until Raye gets in the club!
Then why did Raye run a consulting firm in DC? You’re criticizing Michaud for the exact thing that Raye is. If Michaud is an insider, then so is Raye. Be consistent.
Term limits !
Mike Michaud is the least effective Congressman in Washington and Maine deserves better. Name one piece of legislation that Michaud has sponsered, not co-sponsered, that garnered enough support to be passed since he has been in Congress. The answer would be zero. Even his own party would not support his own proposals even when they controlled the House. And people wonder why Maine is always getting left by the wayside, but you only have to look at who is representing them and not very effectively at that, Mike Michaud!!!
That’s right. Time for an effective leader, Blaine Richardson. Maine 2nd CD deserve a person who can lead, not some ineffective party line voter. Captain Blaine Richardson for Congress 2012.
Being an original co-sponsor is the same freaking thing, and the answer is plenty. Michaud is the ranking memeber of the Veteren affairs Sub-Committee on Health and is next in line to be the chair of the entire Veteran Affairs Committee if/when the Dems take over. “Least Effective blah blah” is simply false. Not even close, and I bet you know that.
and yet, there are many that have got hurt, and never even got so much as a call from one of his useless staffers..
Media Mike Needs To Go
“useless staffers”……..classy on your part. He has a number of vets on his staff, in fact.
Theres always an exception to the rule, and the one vet on his staff that I do know of isnt pleasant to deal with
Sorry, being a co-sponser is not the same as you can have dozens and dozens of co-sponsers on a bill. If Michaud was effective and respected by his peers he would be able to put forth legislation on his own, but he can not because they do not have the respect. Maine Dems have kept electing this man who can not do anything. What a waste of votes!!!
Did I say co-sponsor, or did I say original co-sponsor? Want to re-read my post and try again?
Original Co-sponser or Co-Sponser it does not not matter, they are both plural ie; Michuad can not get anything through on his own because he is the most ineffective Representative in the House.
Nobody gets anything through on their own in the 435 member house. That’s not the way it works. Grab a civics book and get back to me.
I would think that you will see the money go to whoever wins the nomination for the Republican Party. As far as I know there are a couple of people running for the nomination.
If Kevin signs the Grover Norquist pledge that will bring a bunch of campaign money to him. If he signs or joins ALEC he will generate even more. Of course when you do those things you sell your soul to out of state interests, but that seems to be the way it goes in the new game created by the US Supreme Court.
Is this the same guy? http://pinetreepolitics.bangordailynews.com/2012/05/29/youve-come-a-long-way-mike/
Amazing..people support this crap.
Kevin must learn to truly respect veterans, then learn how to help them. His vast experience with vetereans issues comes from driving by a graveyard and counting the flags.
James – What is your proof that Kevin’s experience on veteran’s issues is so lacking? He has been a friend of many veterans. Including his own father who served in WWII. Before you go attacking a man’s creditably you may want to check your facts. Your comment is very disgraceful.
Being a friend of a veteran and having a working track record on veterans issues are two different things. I did not attack his credibility as you suggest, I pointed out a fact that he is lacking experience on veterans issues. I am a disabled combat vet, and so was my father and brother, so I have personal experience on our elected officals ability to help veterans. If my comment is so disgraceful to you, it’s because your politics is standing in the way of your ability to comprehend a comment.
James – First thank you for your and your families service. But what evidence to you have that would prove Kevin Raye has a lack of understanding on veterans issues? Other than your opinion.
Michaud drives an $800.00 a month car leased from Lee Auto in Auburn, Maine that we pay for…..geeze, I need to lease from Lee and get a deal- of course whatever I lease will have to be big enough to live in seems so that’s my mortgage payment……they’re all a bunch of crooks in Washington- just like they all are in Disgusta. Pfffffffft.
Media Mike Needs To Go-
The primary election is June 12th, and R. Blaine Richardson is the candidate for whom we should vote. He is a 30 year Navy veteran, ret. Captain, and he upholds our United States Constitution. He is a man of integrity, his word, and will represent us in the 2nd District with the same.
It was publicized in 2011 that George Soros had contributed the maximum via several of his many PACs to Mike Michaud. Certainly wants this liberal elected again!
There are a lot of Democrat conservative vets in Medway, East Millinocket, Millinocket and throughout Northern Maine that are looking to support Blaine Richardson for Congress.
it is all about money isn’t it. no one can run on their performance or merit anym0re. if they have more money then they can tell more people how good they while their opponent runs out of money and can’t get his message out
I am in The County. Mike Michaud is from The County, but it is difficult to tell it from his voting record.
Anyone who has followed politics the way I have, will be appalled at Michael Michaud’s voting record. Michaud has never met a bank bailout he did not like. He has voted for a host of un-American bills that have stripped Americans of their Constitutional rights and given to the President and various TSA and Homeland Security agencies the authority to ride roughshod over the American people. You can thank Mike Michaud for the TSA road blocks, and the increased hassle to cross over into Canada.
Michaud repeatedly has voted to raise the federal debt ceiling. You can lay the price of gasoline and the cost of bread right at the feet of Mike Michaud.
Mike Michaud will not even carry The County. Mike Michaud is going to lose this race to Kevin Raye.
Well, check his record. Thats a good place to start, but you now mention ” understanding ” veterans issues, I am saying a working track record on veterans issues. Show me the beef. But, on second thought, forget it. You are only going to play with words anyway because you know the answer. An empty suit on veterans issues.