7.13.07 Senate Democrat hopes to demoralize potential foes with huge election war chest.
Gordon Trowbridge
Detroit News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin raised almost $1.8 million for his re-election campaign in the second quarter of this year, a total likely to place him near the top of the list nationally among 2008 Senate candidates.
Of Senate candidates who have released figures for the second three months of the year, only Minnesota Democrat Al Franken raised more money in the quarter. The radio host and former "Saturday Night Live" performer collected $1.9 million in the quarter.
A summary of Levin's second-quarter fundraising report Thursday showed him with about $2.9 million in his campaign account at the end of June, also among the top figures for '08 contenders who have announced their totals.
At this point in the 2002 race -- his last re-election bid -- Levin, D-Detroit, had $1.3 million in cash on hand, less than half of his current total.
Federal candidates have until Sunday to file their second-quarter reports.
Levin announced his re-election campaign in January and began raising money earlier than in past cycles, telling supporters he wanted to dampen Republican hopes that a small campaign account at the start of the year would make him more vulnerable to a challenger. Top-tier Republicans such as U.S. Reps. Candice Miller of Harrison Township and Mike Rogers of Brighton have declined to challenge Levin, and national analysts rank his seat among the safest Democratic Senate seats in 2008.
Former state lawmaker Andrew Raczkowski, who lost to Levin in 2002, has expressed interest in running again. Levin won that race with 61 percent of the vote, to 38 percent for Raczkowski. Levin has been in the Senate since 1979.
You can reach Gordon Trowbridge at (202) 662-8738 or gtrowbridge@detnews.com
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin raised almost $1.8 million for his re-election campaign in the second quarter of this year, a total likely to place him near the top of the list nationally among 2008 Senate candidates.
Of Senate candidates who have released figures for the second three months of the year, only Minnesota Democrat Al Franken raised more money in the quarter. The radio host and former "Saturday Night Live" performer collected $1.9 million in the quarter.
A summary of Levin's second-quarter fundraising report Thursday showed him with about $2.9 million in his campaign account at the end of June, also among the top figures for '08 contenders who have announced their totals.
At this point in the 2002 race -- his last re-election bid -- Levin, D-Detroit, had $1.3 million in cash on hand, less than half of his current total.
Federal candidates have until Sunday to file their second-quarter reports.
Levin announced his re-election campaign in January and began raising money earlier than in past cycles, telling supporters he wanted to dampen Republican hopes that a small campaign account at the start of the year would make him more vulnerable to a challenger. Top-tier Republicans such as U.S. Reps. Candice Miller of Harrison Township and Mike Rogers of Brighton have declined to challenge Levin, and national analysts rank his seat among the safest Democratic Senate seats in 2008.
Former state lawmaker Andrew Raczkowski, who lost to Levin in 2002, has expressed interest in running again. Levin won that race with 61 percent of the vote, to 38 percent for Raczkowski. Levin has been in the Senate since 1979.
You can reach Gordon Trowbridge at (202) 662-8738 or gtrowbridge@detnews.com
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