| (Cross posted at Tom Reynolds Watch)
Tom Reynolds is a weak candidate for many reasons. The banner to the right regarding Reynolds' continued votes against SCHIP is just one example. But a lot can be said of his inability to raise money this time around.
In 2006, Reynolds was flexing his political muscle and his ability to raise money was impressive. A look at a Reynolds filing from January 31, 2006 shows a completely different story than the Reynolds of January 31, 2008. Here's the comparisons:
| Tom Reynolds Fundraising |
| Category |
2006 |
2008 |
| 4Q Contributions |
$387,281.53 |
$242,414.93 |
| Individual Contributions |
$226,454.25 |
$113,689.93 |
| To-Date Contributions |
$1,529,630.52 |
$987,306.31 |
| Cash on hand |
$2,351,882.65 |
$862,809.75 |
The number that is the most staggering is the cash on hand figure. That really tells the whole story right there. Reynolds, heading into 2006, had a serious war chest. Over $2.3 million is some serious cash, especially for a man who at the time was pretty entrenched and pretty popular.
Just look at the individual contributions and the disparity between 2006 and 2008. He has about 50 percent less in individual contributions than he did at this point in 2006. That's a lot of money, especially in this race.
The conclusions to draw from this are that Reynolds is and has been a weakened candidate. If it doesn't appear to be the case on the surface or on the issues, it certainly is the case on paper and in the financial department. He is struggling to raise the same kind of money in previous years which tells us one thing: He's vulnerable. VERY vulnerable. |
