Baucus sets fundraising record

2007-07-13

Source: Helena Independent Record

U.S. Sen. Max Baucus has shattered a Montana political fundraising record, racking up $6.1 million in total donations and other receipts through June 30, including $1.6 million the past three months, a campaign-finance report showed Thursday.

The Democrat reported spending $2.1 million so far, including $198,419 the past three months, his latest campaign-finance report said. That leaves Baucus with about $4 million left in the bank as of June 30, 16 months before the November 2008 election.

Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, has not yet officially announced he will be a candidate for a sixth, six-year Senate term, despite garnering campaign money at a record clip for Montana.

"He's the Finance chairman; his fund-raising is going to be good," said Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the Cook Political Report in a phone interview. "He also probably realizes it probably dissuades any serious challenger. He's doing what he needs to do."

In its latest rating as of June 27, the Cook Political Report, an independent, nonpartisan newsletter that analyses races, ranked the 2008 Montana Senate race in the "solid Democrat" category. The newsletter does not consider Baucus' re-election race to be competitive, nor is it likely to become closely contested.

So far, Baucus has only one challenger, state Rep. Michael Lange, R-Billings.

Baucus is proud to have received donations from all 56 Montana counties and has "an army of supporters across the state focused on returning him to the Senate in 2008," spokesman Barrett Kaiser said.

"He's got the support of folks representing firefighters, farmers and ranchers, teachers and small business owners," Kaiser said. "Max is stronger than he's ever been. His popularity shows that he's using his seniority to do what's right for Montana."

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