Barr outpaces Chandler in 2nd quarter fund-raising
Republican Andy Barr, left, is challenging U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Versailles, in Kentucky
By John Cheves – jcheves@herald-leader.com
Republican challenger Garland “Andy” Barr beat four-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Versailles, in second-quarter 2010 campaign fund-raising, although Chandler still has much more cash on hand.
Chandler raised $175,800 from April 1 to June 30, according to reports filed this week with the Federal Election Commission. Barr, a Lexington lawyer, raised $399,642 in that time.
But Chandler ended the quarter with $1.74 million on hand. Barr remains far behind with $360,892 on hand.
Barr spent $236,964 on campaign expenses just since April 29, or 62 percent of all that he collected in donations. Barr paid more than half of that – $124,132 – to Strategic Media Services, political consultants on K Street in Washington.
Chandler reported that more than half of his recent money came from political action committees, including $5,000 from defense contractor Honeywell International, $5,000 from the American Federation of Teachers, $5,000 from American Crystal Sugar Co., $2,500 from the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, $2,500 from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, $2,000 from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians of Temecula, Calif.,and $1,000 from the Chickasaw Nation of Ada, Okla.
The Distilled Spirits PAC gave Chandler $220 in in-kind contributions for a fund-raising event.
Among Chandler’s campaign purchases was mailing lists from an environmentalist group, the Sierra Club, in San Francisco, for which he paid $198. Chandler has been defending his vote in favor of a “cap-and-trade” plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal and other fossil fuels. Chandler’s vote was unpopular with Kentucky’s coal industry and its supporters.
Barr reported that most of his recent money came from individuals, although the largest single donations came from PACs. These included $10,000 combined from coal industry groups, $5,000 from the American Society of Anesthesiologists and $5,000 each from PACs overseen by U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, U.S. House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio, U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va.
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Skip | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
I’m not lifeting a finger to Help Ben Chandler- my effort and money are reserved for Democrats.
foolio | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
Amen Skip.
Chandler doesn’t know what he is.
I think he’s toast.
phyre | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
It’s a race between a rat & a skunk.
Prof. Gilligan | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
Quote: “Among Chandler’s campaign purchases was mailing lists from an environmentalist group, the Sierra Club, in San Francisco, for which he paid $198. Chandler has been defending his vote in favor of a “cap-and-trade” plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal and other fossil fuels.”
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So with that, you have to ask; Who is Ben Chandler REALLY looking out for – the people of Central Kentucky or faceless radical environmental groups from across the globe?
Stateside | Jul 15, 2010 | Reply
I will have to somehow get over Chandlers vote against health care, but the other guy is an absolute joke. Read up on him.
GermantownDem | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
Stateside, do you have any links we can read from?
barnone | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
“So with that, you have to ask; Who is Ben Chandler REALLY looking out for – the people of Central Kentucky or faceless radical environmental groups from across the globe?”
I’d say he is looking out for central Kentucky in the long term since coal is a long term liability.
An in a more pressing problem, mountain top removal will directly affect central Kentucky’s water supply.. and if that is screwed up there is no fixing it.
We can live without cheap heating and cooling (which coal provides, no argument there), but we can’t live without clean water.
Jeff Lewis | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
Gilligan, “little buddy”, this is hilarious. You get all lathered about a $198 mailing list?
At least we know the people on that mailing list will be voters. On your side, your guy spends a third of all his money to get “the word” from a Washington DC consultant’s firm. Talk about faceless radical groups! I hear “Strategic Media Services” used to be called Media Strategy Services. But one thing we do know about them – they are not Kentucky voters.