State Sen. Cynthia Dill, the Democrat from Cape Elizabeth who hopes to replace Olympia Snowe in the U.S. Senate, raised more than $66,000 for her election bid over a three-month period, according to new campaign finance reports.
But Dill’s total fundraising to date still is less than one-quarter the amount that the race’s perceived front-runner, independent Angus King, had by late May.
Neither King nor the Republican candidate, Secretary of State Charlie Summers, had reported their latest campaign finance figures by Friday afternoon. The filing deadline is Sunday.
Dill has raised $91,166 so far in the campaign and had $28,522 in her account as of June 30.
The vast majority of the cash that her campaign collected — more than $62,000 — in the most recent quarterly reporting period came from individuals. She received only one donation from a political action committee, for $1,000.
Dill has yet to receive any money from national committees that support Democratic candidates. While it is still relatively early in the campaign — most voters tune in after Labor Day — some have questioned whether the national Democratic groups will contribute to Dill’s campaign, given King’s lead in the polls and Democratic leanings.
King has not said which party, if any, he would caucus with in the Senate.
Dill campaign spokesman Bob Mentzinger said Dill is focusing on “core Democratic values” and courting small donations in Maine rather than banking on money from corporations, political action committees or Capitol Hill groups.
“She is prepared to go on and represent her values with or without Washington’s help,” Mentzinger said.
Dill’s finance reports, which the campaign released to the Press Herald on Friday, show that she received donations from several well-known individuals.
For instance, the conservation philanthropist Roxanne Quimby donated $500 just before the June 12 primary. Dill founded an organization to work in support of Quimby’s vision of creating a national park in Maine’s North Woods.
S. Donald Sussman, the billionaire hedge fund manager who is a major contributor to Democratic and charitable causes, gave Dill $1,000 in late June, as did his wife, Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.
Sussman is the majority share owner of MaineToday Media, which owns the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, the Kennebec Journal in Augusta, the Morning Sentinel in Waterville and other media outlets in Maine.
The Dill campaign noted that 370-plus people have contributed so far, with an average donation of $174. Donations from out-of-state residents accounted for just 14 percent of all contributions.
“We have no corporate money and very little from PACs,” Mentzinger said. Instead, Dill is running a “populist campaign” for Maine residents “who want to see dynamic change in Washington.”
Individual donations — many in small amounts — through the Democratic website ActBlue accounted for more than $4,600 of Dill’s total.
Dill spent nearly $47,000 during the reporting period, much of that on consulting, staff salaries, campaign materials and get-out-the-vote efforts.
Kevin Miller — 317-6256
kmiller@pressherald.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
