It is a known fact that the one necessary task that gets under the skin of any and all would-be candidates for elected office is fundraising.
Most candidates seeking public office cannot self-fund their campaign so they must “dial for dollars,” if they want to have any chance of winning their respective races.But then there are those like millionaire Randy Perkins who can simply stroke a check and make all his campaign woes go away.
Perkins is running for Congress in Florida’s 18th congressional district, and has stopped asking for money, saying that the process is “disgusting and appalling.”
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Perkins told the POLITICO that he will fund his entire campaign, and will refund donations from anyone that asks for their money back.
The NPA-turned Democrat has already shelled out $2 million to his campaign, and by refusing to fundraise, Perkins will have to cough up a whole heck of a lot of more dollars, if he expects to win the congressional seat he is running for.“In order for me to keep raising money, I now have to go to people I don’t know. They don’t know who the hell I am…My own team says ‘Randy, you’ve got to keep raising money.’ Whether you’re running as a Democrat or a Republican, the expectation is you’ve got to raise, raise, raise, raise. It’s not something I’m willing to do. It’s disgusting and appalling.”
“You’ve got to draw the line somewhere. So I’m drawing the line now,” Perkins said. “I will not spend one minute — not 60 seconds — in Congress raising money. I won’t look at the phone, I won’t look at a call list.”
“I’m in a unique position where I don’t have to do what sucks…All capital letters in big bolded letters. Yes. It sucks. It’s a great way to sum it up.”
Yes, asking friends, family and strangers for money really does “suck.” This I know from personal experience.
Meanwhile, the other 6 Republican congressional candidates in the race that are looking to face-off with Perkins are all fundraising.
Former state Rep. Carl Domino and Dr. Mark Freeman are both self-funding their campaigns, but are still asking people for campaign donations.Martin County School Board member Rebecca Negron, Attorney Rick Kozell, combat veteran Brian Mast, and pundit Noelle Nikpour, are all burning the phone lines looking for much needed campaign dollars,
Since becoming congressional candidates, here are the up-to-date donation tallies for the Republicans running to replace outgoing Rep. Patrick Murphy (D):
Dr. Mark Freeman: $1,476,518 ($1,200,000 personal loan)
Brian Mast: $710,670 ($646, 535 campaign, $64,135 Valor Committee)
Rebecca Negron: $629.105Rick Kozell: $439,759
Carl Domino: $400,177 ($357,899 personal loan)
Noelle Nikpour: $224,193
According to the fundraising totals, double amputee vet Brian Mast has outraised the entire field of GOP candidates.
With that said, can Mast prevail in the August Republican primary election?Whomever breaks out as the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary election in Florida’s 18th congressional district will have to endure attacks from the other primary challengers, as well as from Super PAC’s who support those challengers.
Negron could be the one who breaks out and benefit from big campaign money with the help of her husband, Florida state Senator Joe Negron, who will lead the governing body in two years.
But the massive national name recognition Mast has garnered because of his story of survival and perseverance, may have already put him at the top of the field, but that remains to be seen.
Let’s not count out the self-funders.
Remember, in politics, money talks and buys votes.
