Freshman Republican Assemblyman Tom McClintock has outpaced every other member of the California Congressional Delegation for the last period, bringing in a total of $635,914. H/T to Dan Smith at the SacBee’s Capitol Alert blog for pointing out McClintock’s fundraising prowess.
Not mentioned in Smith’s take were two very important points. The first is that McClintock is very notably one of only a few House members to pledge not to carry or support Congressional earmarks (the Club for Growth keeps track here). Also extremely significant and refreshing is that unlike almost every other member of the California delegation, McClintock raised almost all of his funds from individual contributions (92%) over Political Action Committees (8%). This is significant because the influence of the special interest groups in Washington, D.C., is pervasive — along Democrats and Republicans. The more a Member of Congress is able to count on his fundraising from individuals, the better situated they are to give the DC lobbyists and their clients the royal heave-ho.
Or perhaps, put another way, the more that average citizens contribute to Members of Congress in whom they believe and with whose voting record they agree, the less impactful the "giving" of those special interests, who for the most part, want something from government, will be.
Congratulations to Congressman McClintock, and thank you to all of those real people who have supported him in his re-election!
August 31st, 2009 at 12:00 am
What is also noteworthy is that this is fact the first time that I have ever read anything that suggested that McClintock has ‘fund raising prowess’. This goes to show you how much grassroots conservatives appreciate Tom McClintock.
September 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Tom is leading the way again
“McClintock raised almost all of his funds from individual contributions (92%) over Political Action Committees (8%)”
When we get all campaign contributions for every candidate running to 100% individual contributors with actual names , not Corporations, PACS , Unions, campaign loans, we will be on the road to elect more people with the integrity of Tom McClintock and we will have a change to save our State and Nation from the destructive path it is on.