House GOP get head start on fund raising

WASHINGTON -- Republican Rep. Bob Beauprez won his first term in Congress from the Denver suburbs by 121 votes last fall, began fund raising for re-election with scarcely a pause and quickly pulled in more than $300,000.

"Maybe that sends a message to someone thinking about taking us on, that they'll have second thoughts," Beauprez says.

By contrast, Democratic Rep. Jim Marshall of Georgia has raised slightly more than $50,000 since winning his seat by little more than 1,500 votes. "I expect to raise a lot of money," he says. So far, he says, he has concentrated on hiring staff, setting up an office and reaching out to constituents.

The disparity underscores a larger trend in the very early stages of the 2004 campaign. Aided by an aggressive effort by party leaders as well as their majority status, Republicans who won narrowly in 2002 -- and may become targets for defeat next year -- are outpacing Democrats in fund raising.

The situation has raised concern among some Democratic strategists, and the party's campaign committee recently created a program designed in part to help potentially vulnerable incumbents raise money.

By the time that program was established, though, a similar GOP effort -- Retain our Majority Program, or ROMP -- already had sent $100,000 or more to each of 10 Republican first-termers deemed vulnerable to challenges next year. The group included Beauprez, whose district supported Democrat Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election.

"We want to get our first-term incumbents as well as our vulnerables on a firm footing as soon as possible," said Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Despite the stepped-up effort by Republicans, the head of the Democratic campaign committee said the first fund-raising totals are of relatively little importance. In the past, candidates have not been required to file reports until June 30.

"The first three months are not necessarily indicative of how fund raising is going to go. ... The second quarter and the third quarter numbers are the ones that are important," said Rep. Robert Matsui, D-Calif., and the totals raised in the election year more so.

Democrats must gain 12 seats to take control of the House next year, and overall, strategists in both parties agree that candidates' fund raising has taken on increased importance.

Legislation that took effect the day after the last election bans party committees from aiding candidates with late-campaign attack ads paid for by unlimited donations from corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals. Republicans say they spent $1 million on such commercials in 25 districts in last year's elections. Democrats report spending $1 million or more in 12 districts.

A federal court has cast doubt on the law and the Supreme Court is being asked to settle the issue.

Republican incumbents got their fund raising off to a quick start at a reception a few blocks from the Capitol last month. Beauprez and nine GOP lawmakers each received contributions totaling $100,000 through the program that Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, started several years ago.

All the funds came from fellow Republican lawmakers, either from their PACs, their campaign accounts or personal donations. Jim Ellis, the executive director of DeLay's PAC, said more than 90 of the House's 229 Republicans donated.

In addition, the potentially vulnerable Republicans have run up early fund-raising totals on their own.

Rep. Mike Rogers, a first-termer from Alabama who won with 50 percent of the vote last year, raised more than $300,000 through March 31, including more than $100,000 through the GOP program -- money he called "a nice bounce."

"The best way to solidify your position is to show your strength," fund raising included, said Rep. Chris Chocola, R-Ind.

Chocola, who lost as a challenger in 2000 and won an open seat last year, has raised more than $200,000 thus far, including more than $100,000 through the program.

Other narrow winners -- and big fund-raisers -- include Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey, a first-term Georgian who pulled in more than $500,000 after winning his seat with 52 percent of the vote; and Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., who defeated former Democratic Rep. Karen Thurman in 2000 and may face her again. Brown-Waite raised $255,000 through March 31.

Among potentially vulnerable Democrats, the fund raising has been slower.

"I have not focused on it," said Marshall, whose district around Macon was carried by President Bush in 2002.

Rep. Jim Matheson, who won a second term in Utah by 1,600 votes in 2002 in a district that Bush carried with 63 percent of the vote, raised $61,000 through March 31. "We're ahead of where we were last time," he said, adding, "I feel fine" about fund raising to date. The second-term Democrat raised $1.4 million to win re-election last fall.

Rep. Tim Bishop of New York, who defeated a Republican lawmaker in 2000, has raised slightly more than $100,000.