[StBernard] Gubernatorial candidates report on fund-raising

[Westley Annis]

Gubernatorial candidates report on fund-raising
Posted by Capital bureau April 23, 2007 1:25PM
By Bill Barrow
Capital bureau

BATON ROUGE -- Self-financed Republican John Georges delivered Monday on a
promise to compete financially with front-runner Bobby Jindal in the race
for Louisiana governor, reporting a $5.5 million campaign balance to the
state Ethics Board. 

Georges' disclosure form, which covers the fund-raising period from Jan. 1
through April 13, shows $3.6 million in loans from the candidate to his
campaign. The Jefferson Parish businessman had already reported a $2 million
loan on his 2006 annual report, filed in February. Since opening his
account, Georges has collected just one contribution of $250. 

Jindal, a Kenner Republican who represents the 1st Congressional District,
plans to file his report this afternoon. He's already said his total
fund-raising has eclipsed $5 million, giving him about 80 percent of what he
spent in 2003, when he lost a runoff to Democrat Kathleen Blanco, who is not
seeking a second term. Jindal raised more than $2.3 million last year, and
most polls have shown him well ahead of declared and potential candidates. 

Public Service Commission Foster Campbell, the lone elected Democrat in the
race, reported $1.05 million balance after collecting $277,385 in
contributions during the latest fund-raising period. Campbell, a farmer and
businessman from Bossier Parish, also reported a $300,000 personal loan. 

Campbell is traveling the state and has launched a statewide radio ad
campaign touting his pitch to impose new taxes on the oil and gas industry
while repealing Louisiana's personal and business income taxes. Still,
Democrats have yet to coalesce behind the three-decade officeholder, and
talk persists that party faithful are trying to recruit another candidate,
perhaps Republican state Sen. Walter Boasso of Arabi. 

Boasso, a businessman who, like Georges, is capable of self-financing, is
running as a Republican, but the former Democrat has been open about his
frosty relationship with the state GOP, particularly after the body endorsed
Jindal. Boasso has not yet filed a campaign finance report for governor. 

The Georges campaign has not developed a strong public presence, but his
report reflected behind-the-scenes activities: He spent almost $102,000,
more than $85,000 of it on polling, research and focus groups organized by a
Baton Rouge consulting firm. 

The Rev. Raymond Brown, a New Orleans Democrat, and T. Lee Horne, a Franklin
Libertarian, had not yet filed reports early Monday afternoon, according to
the Ethics Board Web site. 

Blanco reported a $2.92 million balance, slightly less than the $3
million-plus balance she reported in February. The governor reported $70,860
contributions before the March 20 announcement that she will not run for
another term. She spent more than $156,000 since Jan. 1, but made no
contributions to other candidates. Blanco has not disclosed her plans for
the balance. 

Former U.S. Sen. John Breaux, a Democrat who flirted for weeks with a run
for governor before abandoning the idea April 13, has not filed a report,
indicating that he did not collect any contributions as he mulled a bid.