Skip to main contentPolitical insiders often say, "Early money is like yeast," when it comes to winning an election. Sound vaguely gross? Yes. True? Not always.
Having started months ahead of any other Democrat in the contest to be the party's nominee for U.S. Senate, Portland lawyer Steve Novick had the campaign field to himself last year from April until August. During that time he was rapidly raising early money—and his profile.
But then Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) entered the race in August, and he has since raised far more cash than Novick heading into the May 20 primary.
As of Dec. 31, the latest deadline for reporting campaign contributions, Merkley had collected more than $900,000, compared with Novick's $540,000, according to Federal Elections Commission filings.
So how did Merkley do it?
Well, he's raised $120,000 from political action committees, compared with $850 for Novick.
And an analysis of the itemized individual contributions to both campaigns shows Merkley has done better with out-of-state donors in amassing his advantage over Novick.
Novick's ratio of in-state to out-of-state contributions among individuals donating at least $200 is nearly 2 to 1.
Merkley's over-$200 contributions are almost evenly divided between Oregonians and out-of-state contributors.
Before the next round of campaign-finance reporting on April 15, here's a look at the notable names backing Merkley and Novick so far with their bread:
Jeff Merkley
$2,300:
, developer
, New Seasons
, bibliophile
, New Seasons (Brady's hubby)
, lobbyist
$2,000:
, billionaire Democratic philanthropist
$1,000:
, state rep
, attorney for
, "Funny Girl"
$500:
, Metro councilor
, state rep
, former chief of staff for Mayor Tom Potter
, former chair of the DNC
, Oregon attorney general
, state rep
, former chief of staff to ex-Gov. John Kitzhaber, congressional candidate
$300:
, state rep
$250:
, Physicians for Social Responsibility
, assisted-suicide advocate
Steve Novick
$2,300:
, winemaker
, lobbyist
, Dignity Village funder
$1,750:
, retired PGE executive
$1,000:
, developer
, Multnomah County Commissioner
$500:
, Metro councilor
, former spokeswoman Gov. Ted Kulongoski
, former AFL-CIO leader, deputy chief of staff for the Gov.
, Portland Trail Blazers executive
$250:
, ex-Democratic Party operative, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor, child-porn
, assisted-suicide advocate
, ex-wife of former Gov. Neil Goldschmidt
, wife of Josh Kardon, chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
, former CEO of PDC
, city commissioner
, former Democratic congressman
, attorney for
See
for a look at
.
WWeek 2015