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Donations To McCain Campaign Surge In Hillsborough County

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By BILLY HOUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 14, 2008

Updated: 07/14/2008 12:11 am

WASHINGTON - John McCain has outdone presidential rival Barack Obama in campaign donations from Hillsborough County in recent months, reflecting evidence nationally that his fundraising is picking up steam - or that Obama's may be losing some.

McCain totaled about $150,000 in donations from the county over March, April and May, compared with Obama's $103,000, the latest campaign filings show.

Still, Obama maintains a significant edge in the total amount he has drawn from donors in Hillsborough since he and McCain launched their campaigns in 2007 - $517,000 to $365,000.

Those and other numbers are contained in the campaigns' most recent reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Obama and McCain, together, have almost reached the $1 million mark when their Hillsborough totals are combined with two other Tampa Bay area counties, Pasco and Polk.

Since the start of his campaign, Obama has raised nearly $42,000 from Pasco and $28,000 from Polk, while McCain has raised $26,000 from Pasco and nearly $20,000 from Polk.

The filings with the FEC also underscore how Florida continues to be a main fundraising spigot for both presidential candidates.

McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, took in $2.9 million from Florida contributors during March, April and May, adding to the $3.97 million he had already raised in the state. Among all states, Florida represented McCain's second-biggest source of campaign donations in both March and April, and his top source of campaign donations in May.

"Important Tampa area Republicans are strongly supporting Sen. McCain, both with money and political support," said Buzz Jacobs, the Southeast regional campaign manager for McCain. "Additionally, Gov. Crist is arguably the Senator's biggest supporter, and that has been a big boost for the campaign."

Best Yet To Come?

Meanwhile, Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, raised more than $2.7 million in March, April and May from Florida contributors, adding to the $5.2 million he had already collected in the state. Among all states, Florida was Obama's eighth-biggest source of donations in March, his seventh-biggest in April and his second top source in May.

There have been hints in national news reports that three straight months of declining donations nationally is evidence that Obama's fundraising - which has been shattering records - is showing signs of fatigue and that he may not dramatically outspend his rival after all.

However, Kirk Wagar, Obama's Florida finance chairman, depicted the Illinois senator's fundraising in Florida as consistent and strong. He predicted the biggest numbers are yet to come, as the general election gets fully engaged.

"I think Florida - and Tampa in particular - is going to be very important for fundraising nationally in the upcoming months," Wagar said. He also noted that the Obama camp will have about 300 paid staffers "on the ground" in Florida as of Aug. 1.

The Obama camp has not yet released its fundraising totals for June. Reports for that month are not required to be filed with the FEC until July 20.

But McCain campaign manager Rick Davis on Thursday portrayed the McCain team's financial picture as bright, saying it raised more than $22 million nationally in June, its biggest month ever.

Public vs. Private

McCain plans to participate in the public financing system, which kicks in after his nomination is finalized at the GOP convention in early September.

By doing that, he is expected to receive as much as $84.1 million to spend between September and the November election, but cannot raise or spend any added money through the campaign.

As a result, McCain's fundraising now is creating an influx of cash that Davis says will combine with expected Republican National Committee help to give the Arizona senator as much as $200 million to spend on TV ads and field operations before the GOP convention Sept. 1-4.

In contrast to McCain, Obama, who does not intend to accept public financing in the general election, must decide how to pace his campaign's spending.

Top Obama fundraisers like Wagar say they aren't worried that Internet donations and other contributions may now be at more of an ebb than a flow, or that there might be some resentment among supporters over Obama's decision to help retire some of Democratic primary rival Hillary Rodham Clinton's debt.

Still, Wagar said the Obama campaign has recognized it will need to expand efforts to raise money from more contributors, including former Clinton donors, to meet the campaign's budget needs. Many of the Illinois senator's supporters already have reached the maximum amounts they are permitted to give under law until August, he said.

"My feeling is that is a reason why the Hillary folks are important; most of our folks have given what they can. We are looking for new people," he said.

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or at bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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