Show Me the Money: IN 4; Ackerson Campaign Filing Reveals Sordid Tale

As I noted in an earlier post, the much-touted campaign of Nels Ackerson in the 4th District is already on its second campaign treasurer.

The FEC filings for the Nels Ackerson for Congress campaign give the explanation for this sudden change; it has to do with violations of that most basic of FEC regulations, the limit on individual contributions.

Depending on your perspective, Ackerson's campaign was either so inexperienced as to not know that these limits existed or just so desperate to get the easy money that pours into a campaign in its first quarter that they took it anyway (at least at first).

Fourteen such limit memo corrections were necessary; no wonder Ackerson's campaign got a new treasurer.

The campaign filings also blow the "he did it all in two weeks" meme, so trumpeted by certain folks in the seats on the left, out of the water.

Ackerson's earliest donation on the filing was made on April 17; it was swiftly followed by $2,300 top-limit contributions on the 20th and the 25th of that month (with still more coming after those).

Enquiring minds, of course, might wonder why donations made in April, which is in Q2, somehow ended up being filed in Q3 instead.

Since Ackerson's filings include significant contributions from before the July 1 start of Q3, I am going to include Buyer's pre-Q3 numbers in these comparisons in parentheses.

"Winners" are in italics.

Starting Cash-on-Hand:
Nels Ackerson: $0.00
Steve Buyer: $403,835.83

Q3 Net Receipts (Contributions):
Nels Ackerson: $134,104.00
Steve Buyer: $74,982.56 ($167,338.23)

Q3 Individual Receipts:
Nels Ackerson: $134,104.00
Steve Buyer: $7,305.00 ($23,226.71)

Q3 Committee Receipts (from PACs and special interests):
Nels Ackerson: $0.00
Steve Buyer: $66,500.00 ($136,600.00)

Q3 Disbursements (Expenditures):
Nels Ackerson: $39,240.60
Steve Buyer: $35,352.68 ($152,058.56)

Ending Cash-on-Hand:
Nels Ackerson: $94,863.40
Steve Buyer: $443,465.71

The contributions themselves to Ackerson bear all of the indications of being the "easy money" that always flows into candidates early in their campaigns.

This is particularly true in districts like the 4th, drawn heavily for one party, where the affluent supporters of the minority party are always yearning for the slightest sliver of hope and are eager to be parted from their money.

Indeed, one third of Ackerson's contributions were of a thousand dollars or greater, and about half of those were top-line limit contributions (folks not likely to be able to repeat their donation due to limits).

It will take more than one rosy quarter to determine whether Ackerson has any real ability to fund a credible campaign, let alone be competitive.

He may well be like Michael Montagano in the 3rd District, raising a relatively impressive $105,707.04 in Q2, but less than half that ($50,010.00) for Q3.

I also wouldn't go so far as to say that Buyer and his people are asleep; asleep is Julia Carson raising $8,734.15.