Arizona: Paton Raises $500,000 in 8th District Race

Former state Sen. Jonathan Paton (R), the National Republican Congressional Committee’s recruit to take on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), passed his first fundraising test with flying colors Monday with the announcement of a half-million dollar haul in the first quarter.

Paton will report $501,000 in contributions since joining the race in late January, 90 percent of which came from Arizonans, according to the campaign.

Paton will have to keep up that blistering fundraising pace to be financially competitive with Giffords, who is a top fundraiser among vulnerable House Democrats. The sophomore congresswoman reported $1.2 million in total receipts and $1.6 million cash on hand at the end of 2009.

Paton’s leading rival for the GOP nomination, Iraq war veteran Jesse Kelly, raised $272,000 in 2009 and ended the year with $179,000 cash on hand.