REGION: Bilbray holds lead in 50th District money race

Republican Rep. Brian Bilbray continues to hold an overall fundraising lead in the 50th Congressional District race while his three Democratic challengers each say their campaigns remain financially competitive, according to the candidates and their latest filings.

Bilbray raised $110,000 in the three-month reporting period that ended Oct. 1. The latest entry into the Democratic side of the race, Solana Beach’s Dave Roberts, reported raising $152,000, but that figure includes a self-loan of $50,000.

Francine Busby, who is trying for a third time to unseat Bilbray, raised a little more than $60,000.

The third Democratic candidate, Escondido lawyer Tracy Emblem, raised $30,000 in the July-September cycle, according to her report filed with the Federal Election Commission in Washington.

While the 2010 congressional election may seem a long way off, it’s not so far away for the Democrats. The primary election that decides who moves on to the November election takes place June 8.

Bilbray’s fundraising prowess has been boosted by the National Republican Congressional Committee, which earlier this year placed him on its 10-member “Patriot” list and has been assisting with his hunt for campaign donors. He has raised $533,000 overall.

Bilbray campaign consultant Duane Dichiara said Thursday the congressman’s receipts reflect not only national party support, but growing frustration among the electorate.

“A lot of people are pretty disappointed with what is going on in Washington,” Dichiara said. “Brian is back there trying to get reform and GOP and independent voters are responding to what he is doing.”

Though Republicans continue to hold a clear numbers advantage in the district, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Andy Stone said the numbers reported by Busby, Emblem and Roberts reflect a growing unease with Bilbray and his “go slow” approach to health care reform.

“All the money raised by the Democrats in this race, including the fact that Dave Roberts was able to put together over $150,000 in just five weeks, show how much excitement and enthusiasm there is for replacing Brian Bilbray, who is increasingly out of touch,” Stone said.

Busby said her goal for the quarter was $50,000. She has raised nearly $228,000 overall.

“We exceeded that and with 1,420 individual donors, I think that speaks to a strong base of support I have locally,” she said.

Emblem said she and her advisers are comfortable with her financial footing. She cited growing support among labor unions for her campaign theme of job creation as a bright spot. She has raised $101,000 overall.

“We think it’s going fine, particularly since all of us are trying to squeeze money from a lot of the same sources,” she said.

All of Roberts campaign contributions came from individuals, though he has said he will accept money from political action committees. His approximately 300 donors have made contributions ranging for $15 to the maximum amount of $4,800, he said.

Despite being the last to enter the Democratic race, he said he is concentrating on Bilbray and not Busby or Emblem and that his receipts since he announced his candidacy are noteworthy.

“I think what I have been able to raise in just 27 days shows that I am the strongest Democratic candidate,” he said. “I’m feeling very positive about not only the primary, but also the general election.”

UC San Diego political science professor Gary Jacobson cautions that Roberts’ enthusiasm should be tempered by registration numbers that continue to favor the GOP.

“While the district might be slightly drifting Democratic, I think Democrats in general are going to be on the defensive in the upcoming election year,” Jacobson said. “It’s still hard to see a Democrat getting more than 45 percent in the 50th District.”

As of Sept. 30, the county registrar showed that of the 386,287 registered voters in the district encompassing most of North County, 40 percent were Republicans compared with 31 percent Democrats and 24 percent “decline to state” voters.

President Barack Obama last year carried the district by 4 percentage points over John McCain thanks to independent voters that broke in his favor.

Jacobson pointed out that Busby already has two losses to Bilbray, the June 2006 special election when he bested her to fill the unexpired term of former Republican Rep. Randy Cunningham and a subsequent defeat in that year’s general election.

“Francine has the name recognition advantage among the Democrats, but she is at a disadvantage because of her losses,” Jacobson said.

Cunningham resigned in disgrace after being caught in the largest congressional bribery scam ever uncovered and is serving a federal prison sentence in Arizona. Bilbray also beat her in the June 2006 general election.

The amount of money raised by each of the Democrats is not trivial, he said.

“It shows they are all capable of putting together campaigns at this point,” Jacobson said.
Click here to read the full story.