[StBernard] Much of Jindal's funds from BR sources

[Westley Annis]

Much of Jindal's funds from BR sources
 By MARK BALLARD
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: Sep 2, 2007 - Page: 1A 

U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal represents Kenner in the U.S. Congress but it's his
old neighbors in south Baton Rouge who are most responsive in funding his
campaign for governor.

According to the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Louisiana
Board of Ethics, almost 25 cents of every dollar collected by Jindal through
July 14 - $1.25 million of $7.6 million - comes from someone in Baton Rouge,
where he grew up.

That's roughly twice the $680,262 donated by residents of Jindal's 1st
Congressional District, which covers the suburban parishes west of New
Orleans and on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain.

Even while Jindal in mid-2006 publicly was denying he would run for
governor, Baton Rouge residents donated most of the early seed money from
which the Republican in 2007 built an aura of inevitability.

Jindal collected $140,000 from 28 Baton Rouge donors on June 5, 2006. By
Nov. 15, 2006, Jindal had raised $443,000 from donors writing $5,000 checks,
the disclosures state.

The donors are the owners and executives in some of Baton Rouge's leading
businesses, including The Advocate, Manda Fine Meats Inc., Mockler Beverage
Co., Turner Industries Group LLC, The Business Report, Lee Michaels Fine
Jewelry and McBR Management, which owns McDonald's hamburger restaurants in
the area, the reports show.

Since then, Jindal has collected money from across the state and the nation.

It is the campaign war chest - the money necessary to buy the advertising
and pay for campaign appearances - that gives candidates viability, the
professionals say.

Jindal's performance in adding to campaign coffers impresses professional
fundraisers, both allies and opponents alike.
Particularly notable is the number of small contributions given to Jindal.

The campaign reported that 13,070 of its 16,190 contributors gave $250 or
less between Nov. 16, 2006 - when Jindal's fundraising appears to have begun
in earnest - and July 12, a few days before the latest report was due. Their
combined "small dollar" contributions total $814,712.

"That's astounding," said Liz Mangham, a veteran Baton Rouge fundraiser not
involved in the gubernatorial campaigns this year.

"The low dollar amounts - $100, $250 - those are the people who really
believe in him. Those are the people who have invested in his races,"
Mangham said. "Those are donors who will vote for him and they'll ask their
friends and neighbors to vote for him."
Jindal's Democratic Party rivals are far less successful in bringing in
"small dollar" donors.

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell of Bossier Parish reported 116
"small dollar" donors giving a total of $16,788.

State Sen. Walter Boasso of Arabi collected $4,522 from 43 contributors
giving $250 or less.

Republican John Georges is funding his campaign with his own money.

While small-dollar donations are prized, it's the big bucks that pay the
bills.

For Jindal's race, the reports show that more than two-thirds of his
contributions - $5.2 million - come from only 1,140 donors writing checks of
more than $2,500.

Likewise, two-thirds of Campbell's money - $733,000 of $1.1 million - comes
from 125 contributors.

Boasso, who loaned his campaign $2.4 million, has relied on contributions of
more than $2,500 for 78 percent of the $376,481 he reports having raised.

Phone calls over a nine-day period to four of Jindal's large contributors
and three people involved in raising money were answered Thursday by the
campaign press secretary, Melissa Sellers. Without allowing questions or
interviews, Sellers late Friday sent an e-mail with "facts" and "quotes"
about Jindal's effort.

Sellers wrote that the campaign had raised more than $900,000 in direct
mail, which are preprinted letters asking for money. Jindal's "e-campaign
infrastructure online" has raised more than $620,000, Sellers wrote.

Michael Beychok, a Baton Rouge consultant handling Boasso's fundraising
efforts, said comparisons between Jindal and his candidate are not fair
because Boasso has not been preparing to run for governor for four years, as
Jindal has.

Boasso spent his own money in 2007 to buy television advertising to make his
name recognizable outside St. Bernard Parish and the State Capitol, Beychok
said.

Boasso's personal fortune also has freed him from the onerous activity that
professional fundraisers call "dialing for dollars."
Though Boasso makes calls, he spends much more time out in public, meeting
and greeting potential voters, Beychok said.

Campbell has no shyness for  the awkward task of phoning a stranger out of
the blue and asking for several thousand dollars, said Charlotte Cantwell of
Baton Rouge, his fundraiser.

"Foster really likes to talk to people and he'll make a cold call," Cantwell
said. Every evening Campbell phones potential donors from a list she culls
from various sources, including tips about people who voiced support of
Campbell or one of his ideas.

Campbell also attends small parties where supporters invite a handful of
friends, Cantwell said. He and Cantwell then follow up with notes to those
in attendance, she said.

Those follow-up activities are  what the well-organized Republicans do so
well, Cantwell said, adding, "The Republican machine is pretty outstanding."


  
Find this article at: 
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/9525472.html?showAll=y&c=y