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Rivals set up head-to-head fundraisers |
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By Alexander Bolton
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Posted: 07/27/07 05:46 PM [ET] |
Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) will square off in D.C.’s fundraising arena on Monday against former Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.), the man looking to supplant him in the top tier of GOP presidential contenders.
McCain is gathering the chiefs of staff of his congressional supporters to raise money from up-and-coming lobbyists on the same night that Thompson has scheduled his first big-dollar Washington fundraiser. McCain is also holding a lunchtime fundraiser earlier in the day in northern Virginia.
These dueling fundraising events, creating a first head-to-head match-up, come at a critical time for both men.
McCain is battling to keep his coalition of support intact in the wake of a major campaign shakeup this month that resulted in the departure of campaign manager Terry Nelson, chief political strategist John Weaver and several senior members of his fundraising staff.
Thompson, meanwhile, is looking to pick off McCain’s support, but his delay in formally launching his campaign is raising eyebrows. Thompson’s surrogates have approached McCain’s backers on the Hill and K Street to persuade them to switch allegiances.
McCain’s event, at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, is expected to raise less money. He is charging individuals only $100 per ticket. Guests at the Thompson event must pay $1,000 per person and $5,000 per political action committee.
But the level of enthusiasm displayed at McCain’s get-together could influence the buzz about his campaign among GOP insiders.
Some McCain supporters say they will look closely at Thompson’s fundraising progress as they mull which candidate to support. Brad Wine, a partner in Dickstein Shapiro’s government law and strategy group and a member of YP4McCain (Young Professionals for McCain), said the departure of many senior McCain aides has shaken his support.
“A lot of the people I dealt with are no longer with the campaign,” he said. “A lot of the folks that I know and think very highly of are not there anymore, and to suggest it doesn’t have an impact [on my support] would be less than genuine.”
Thirty-three young professionals supporting McCain are hosting Monday’s fundraiser. Wine is one of the few members of the program not on the host committee. He attributed this to “professional obligations.”
But while he said he is still a McCain supporter, he is also considering supporting Thompson.
“I have spoken to folks affiliated with Thompson’s likely run,” he said. “I would like to give myself a good chunk of remaining summer to see how things shake out.
“I think a lot of people like me … are willing to watch Senator Thompson very closely. He is, with respect to this election cycle, an unknown quantity in terms of fundraising. I expect to watch very closely what he does in things such as Monday’s event.”
McCain’s fundraising, which could influence the allegiance of inside-the-Beltway supporters, must overcome the departure of several senior members of his finance staff.
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