Gubernatorial hopefuls pull out all stops for cash

NASHVILLE — Tennessee gubernatorial candidates hosted last-minute fundraisers and made final pleas for online contributions Tuesday, hoping to plump up campaign war chests before one of the 2010 race’s first real tests — results from first-quarter fundraising.

The Jan. 1-June 30 quarter ended at midnight Tuesday. Candidates must report their contributions and expenditures no later than July 15 to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.

Although there’s more than a year to go until the Aug. 5, 2010, primary, candidates still pulled out all the stops Monday and Tuesday to chase down dollars and make impressive financial showings.

“I am the only candidate with the type of experience necessary to face the challenges of the future,” declared former state House Majority Leader Kim McMillan, D-Clarksville, in an e-mail message. “As an attorney and former legislator, I know the urgency of keeping our state Legislature fighting for the people of Tennessee.”

U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who is running for the GOP nomination, held his final end-of-quarter fundraiser in Memphis on Tuesday evening, following up a Monday night event in Oak Ridge, which campaign spokesman John Crisp said raised “in excess” of $80,000.

“We feel very good,” Mr. Crisp said. “We put on paper some goals we wanted to achieve in the first six months in a whole variety of areas including fundraising. I think we’re about to surpass our fundraising goal.”

Political scientist Robert Swansbrough at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga said candidates “are in the money primary right now” with the actual primary vote about 14 months off.

Candidates often “work hard to build up the numbers before these publicized disclosure reports ... to show they’ve made strides and they’re going to run a serious campaign,” Dr. Swansbrough said. “Otherwise, their supporters begin to lose enthusiasm and start looking for another candidate.”

After raising $600,000 at his first event in February, Rep. Wamp, who is from Chattanooga, declared he had commitments of about $1 million for his campaign. Later, his campaign later announced that he raised another $250,000 in March in Knoxville, the home base of a major GOP rival, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam.

On Monday, Mr. Haslam, whose campaign declared May 31 that it had raised $3 million, held another fundraiser, with officials saying it brought in an additional $200,000.

Some political operatives have said it could cost $10 million to run in both contested primary and general election campaigns.

Other candidates were active, too. Democrat Mike McWherter of Jackson, son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, held a $2,500-per-person fundraiser Monday at the home of Nashville businesswoman Martha Ingram.

“We had a good event,” said McWherter Campaign Director Kim Sasser Hayden.

On Tuesday, Mr. McWherter continued to contact potential donors by telephone, she said.

In an e-mail to a prospective GOP donor, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, who holds his position by virtue of being Senate speaker, referenced the disadvantage he was in as a result of a state law that bans incumbent legislators from raising funds during the legislative session.

“While many of our competitors have been raising funds for six months or longer, state law prohibited us from getting started until June 1st,” the message said. “So we have ground to make up. I need your help to prove the strength of our campaign.”

State Sen. Roy Herron, D-Dresden, likewise was a late starter in the campaign.

“Will you help me become your Governor?” he asked potential Democratic supporters in an e-mail. “We can win this election. But I need your help.”

Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons held a fundraiser Monday. No figures were available, but his finance director, Wendy Carter, said the campaign continued to be “busy” on Tuesday.

Nashville businessman Ward Cammack’s Democratic campaign has been beset by rumors that it’s in trouble ever since his campaign manager, Mark Brown, recently left. But in an e-mail, Mr. Cammack urged prospective donors to contribute.

“Together, let's make our voices heard above the business-as-usual politics. To do that, I need your financial support now. Our first financial disclosure deadline is June 30th.”