Welcome, if you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed or subscribe to our email newsletter. Thanks for visiting!

Now that all the data is online, everyone is thinking about the Quarter 1 reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

First off, in much of politics, life is relative. Here in Wisconsin, Kagen gets a fine headline in the hometown paper: “Kagen building his campaign coffers for re-election run.” Kagen raised just over $150,000 this quarter. That’s a lot of money, right?

A national comparison, however, shows Kagen is in the bottom of the pack for contested House seats. From Roll Call, via the House Race Hotline Today:

According to the DCCC, the 29 members of its “Frontline” program raised an average of $291K in the first three months of ‘07 … Freshmen Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20) and Ron Klein (FL-22) “were the standouts” raising $690K and $610K, respectively. … Only four of the 29 Frontliners raised less than $200K: Reps. Jim Marshall (GA-08), Tim Walz (MN-01), Steve Kagen (WI-08), and Michael Arcuri (NY-24).

Put in context, then, Kagen’s numbers are pretty pathetic. The numbers behind Kagen’s pathetic performance should also raise eyebrows. Of his 23 individual contributors, 7 are lobbyists and political consultants. And he picked up plenty of PAC money as well: $5000 from the trial lawyers, and contributions from the PACS of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. (railroad), American Crystal Sugar Co., Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (mining co.), Manitowoc Co., International Transmission Company (power co.), Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis (Jack Abrahmoff’s old law firm), Wells Fargo Co., and WE Energy. Not to mention 31 professional associations and unions PACs.

Not saying it is bad that Kagen raised any of that money, just pointing out this is from that man who told us in the fall: “Washington, D.C. is embroiled in the biggest corruption controversy in a generation, a growing scandal of illegal corporate cash contributions, sinister lobbying by special-interests, and an unprecedented abuse of power that trickles down into every corner of our country…” You just can’t say those things, and then take all kinds of money from corporations and lobbyists.

As Kevin points out:

85% - The percentage of donations (in $-value) “Man of the People,” “Spinner of Tales,” and Self-Made Man Rep. Steve Kagen took from Political Action Committees and Party Commitees in the 1st Qtr of 2007.
3% - Percentage of itemized donations (in $-value) to Kagen’s Campaign that came from his own Congressional District. In state, it’s a mind-blowing 7.6%. Feel that “Hometown Love!”

We all know this seat is going to be a real battle again in 2008 - why isn’t Kagen acting like it?

• Why Van's the Man - January 5th, 2009
• 9th Cir. Screws up Scouts' Case - January 5th, 2009
• Favorite Moment in the Final Days - December 29th, 2008
• Over on MULS Faculty Blog - December 29th, 2008
• The Race for DPI Superintendent - December 29th, 2008