A kinder, gentler year for Republicans, 2009 witnessed the flipping of two governorships–one in the newly-designated purple commonwealth of Virginia–and the Senate seat long-held by the late Ted Kennedy. The prospective 2012 Republican contenders, too, have capitalized on the base’s renewed vigor, with early front-runners pulling in–and dolling out–millions for their political action committees.
Mitt Romney’s Free and Strong political action committee raised just shy of $3 million and contributed $120,000 to Republican state and federal candidates in 2009, according to a year-end finance report released Friday by the group.
Handicapped by late entry, Tim Pawlenty’s group, Freedom First PAC, raised only $1.28 million last year. Pawlenty aides note, however, the committee was organized in October and fundraising totals account only for the fourth quarter, whereas Romney’s committee has been operating all year.
In the fourth quarter, Pawlenty transferred $395,000* to Republican candidates — a figure more than double what Romney’s PAC contributed over the entire year.
Fox News Channel personality Mike Huckabee’s Huck PAC performed far worse than expected, reporting Saturday the group raised a meager $800,000. The year-end finance release failed to mention how much, or little, the committee had contributed to GOP candidates and causes, but according to OpenSecrets.org, the group had contributed only $10,000 by January 10, 2010.
Unlike the committees of Huckabee’s likely rivals, Huck PAC’s value is found not in its war chest, but in its expansive and ever-growing network of volunteers, who made more than 60,000 voter contacts for PAC-endorsed candidates, according to the committee.
While PAC expenditures are regarded by would-be nominees as a necessary investment in their eventual campaign, such as the situation is for Pawlenty and Romney, Huckabee’s early pockets are surprisingly shallow, which will inhibit his ability to curry favor with party faithful.
PAC operatives for each committee will argue the metrics for judging each committee differ, but the ultimate arbiter in politics is cold, hard cash; who has it, who knows how to get more of it, and who shares it will win the popularity contest we have come to know as the presidential nominating process. On this count, Pawlenty is, hands down, the front-runner.
UPDATE: An informed reader emails to say I have conflated Pawlenty’s operating expenditures with his political disbursements, noting that the Minnesota Governor only contributed $16,800 to federal candidates in 2009.
Presently, it’s unclear if that figure accounts for monies contributed to state candidates, state Republican parties and GOP causes. It is worth noting, though, that of Romney’s $120,000 in contributions, 56% went to state candidates, parties and causes, so a similar trend may exist in Pawlenty’s reporting.
I have requested clarification from a Pawlenty aide and will update further when appropriate.
UPDATED II 
awlenty aides do not dispute the $16k figure, but hasten to point out that the committee was formed in late in 2009 with a balance of 0.
While the PAC has already contributed (significantly less) to many of the same candidates as Romney, including Doug Hoffman, Rob Portman, Scott Brown, and the Minnesota Republican Congressional delegation, they intend “to support many other candidates as we get into election season this year.”
Apart from those candidates endorsed and supported by the committee, aides offered this interesting caveat: Pawlenty headlined numerous Republican fundraisers for candidates and committees — none of which would be represented in the report. While his team asked supporters to donate directly to Brown’s campaign, TPaw himself held events for the Iowa, South Dakota, Michigan and Ohio state Republican parties.
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Seeing that trio...
IronDioPriest (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 6:56PM EST (link)…Romney, Pawlenty (my governor), and Huckabee listed as the top three presidential hopefuls for the GOP does not inspire confidence. I’m sorry.
“If we finally fail in this great and glorious contest, it will be by bewildering ourselves in groping for the middle way.”
-John Adams, 1776
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Me Neither
qsclues (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 7:40PM EST (link)As a fellow Minnesotan, I’ll echo that sentiment. That being said, at this rate, Obama could lose to a head of lettuce in 2012. I’d simply like it to be a very conservative head of lettuce.
Main Entry: rac·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈrā-ˌsi-zəm also -ˌshi-\
Function: noun
Date: 1933
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination
3 : term used by a liberal to concede an argument
Who decided
edwlstr Tuesday, February 2nd at 11:58PM EST (link)these guys were the “top three”? Sounds like the same old NRSC has-been or never-was gallery. Romney maybe (for his economic acumen) but when Hucklebuck should have dropped out, he stayed on as a spoiler for McCain ( a Charlie Crist pick), as a result, guess who’s the president? Pawlenty shifted hard to the right after he decided to run, I don’t like that. Sounds like he’s not a true conservative. Better than all this 2012 speculation? Maybe we should concentrate on 2010 congressional races and emasculate Obama with heavy wins in both houses. That will hold him in place until we can send him back to Kenya in 2012….One thing is for certain, if the NRSC likes him he’s probably a RINO.
I agree
sharonmcp (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 7:51PM EST (link)I’d feel a bit easier if the list included the name of Mike Pence or Jim DeMint.
“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.” ~ Ronald Reagan
Or Lt Col Allen West
bs61 Tuesday, February 2nd at 9:38AM EST (link)I agree – I’m tired of the same old recycled republicans, it’s time for a change! Allen West is great – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2p91dvm6M
Not Interested In This - Too Early - Get Back To This in 2011 (nt)
IJB Saturday, January 30th at 7:57PM EST (link)This is sending a very inside-baseball message ...
acat (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 8:39PM EST (link)The proto-candidates are trying to both attract big backers and build “working relationships” with other influential pols at this point – they’re not really talking to us, and not to Joe Sixpack – other than in a “any press is good press” way.
I don’t have a strong objection to any of ‘em, although if this is the best the GOP can do, it’s .. really not good… and I suspect that part of the reason these guys are getting so far ahead of the cycle is because they know they could be picked off by a strong candidate later on.
IMO, the best news out of the bunch is that Pawlenty’s PAC is backing other candidates – that’s the kind of thing that I like to see – favor-trading or not it’s building the team.
Mew
——
“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost”. –Tolkein
The same old recycled candidates from 2008 will not work
Scope (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 8:18PM EST (link)and, you can consider Pawlenty a recycled, as, he was at one time considered a front runner for McCain as VP. His PAC bombed, as he did as any kind of exciting candidate. You can’t implant fire in the belly, and, Pawlenty just doesn’t have it. Huckabee couldn’t raise money the last time, and, he can’t raise money this time either. I guess Romney’s wife will not allow him to bankrupt the family in order to buy the presidency. By 2012, the field will have totally changed, and, that’s a good thing.
All very good points, with one minor quibble...
Mike (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 8:59PM EST (link)…Romney is worth around a quarter of a billion dollars, and raised most of his money last time. There’s very little chance that he’ll actually bankrupt his family
I’d like to see if Pence could transition successfully into a national candidate, but that doesn’t happen with House members too often. DeMint is only attractive to us, unfortunately; and he’s incredibly valuable to us where he is — I hope, for those reasons, he doesn’t run. My favorite for a dark horse? Senator John Thune.
Of course, we have the 2010 elections to get through first, and then assess where we are, from a partisan standpoint. So let’s focus on that, first.
Agreed. Where did Scott Brown stand one month
6eorge Jetson (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 9:14PM EST (link)before the special election?
We’ve never seen the Tea Party force/influence before. Methinks someone presently in office that champions small government will emerge to win the nomination and presidency. Someone presently in a position like Jim DeMint or Mike Pence.
What about Bob?
Credo Saturday, January 30th at 9:10PM EST (link)I know it’s early, but what about Bob McDonnell?
Credo
He just got elected to the Governorship
varia (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 10:26PM EST (link)I think he would be a great candidate too, but if he were to run, he’d have to start at least by the end of this year, which is right in the middle of his first and only term..
Though he was technically a lame duck since the day he stepped into the Gov mansion, I think that if he commits his time to making VA a better place, he will be in a great position to run for either the senate in 2014 (Against Fmr. Gov. Warner) or for president in 2016.
Running right in the middle of his term I would think would not sit well with the voters and kind of give Dems ammo to criticize him similar to Palin (“He’s just like Palin in cutting and running in the middle of his term, he didn’t fulfill his promise to voters!”)
Then again, a certain ND Gov. recently announced his candidacy for the Senate.
Don’t get me wring, my preferred ticket right now would be Thune/McDonnell or vice-versa. In fact, having any conservative Gov. at the top of the ticket would contrast with Obama’s lack of experience as an executive and be a great winning point for us.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.”
McDonnell is in office just a few weeks
Scope (Diary) Sunday, January 31st at 8:39AM EST (link)and the Democrats are already accusing him of using his position as Governor, and the Virginia taxpayers money, to run his campaign for president. There is no question the Dems fear him, and they should. His landslide win included Repubs, Independents and some Dems. A bill had already passed in VA, shortly after the federal ban was lifted in the Bush admin, to sell leases for off shore drilling starting in 2011. Kaine sent a letter to Salazar to delay the sale. McDonnell recently sent his own letter asking not to delay the sale, as the state already has some major oil companies interested in purchasing the leases, has completed the studies to determine how much oil and gas is there, and the process was on schedule. Salazar told McDonnell he would get back to him with an answer. Then Salazar made a public announcement that he was adding more restrictions, and was going to make it harder to accomplish. In Obama’s SOTU address he said something about expanding drilling in the US. Who’s lying? McDonnell must be stopped from being the Gov of the first east coast state to accomplish drilling. If he accomplished that, he would shoot right to the top of the Republican presidential list, and, Obama can’t have that. I think that the only reason Obama even brought it up in his SOTU lecture was because he knew McDonnell was doing the Republican counter speech.
Bob
Credo Sunday, January 31st at 8:50AM EST (link)I look around at all the candidates being offered (Romney Pawlenty Huckabee) and they are less than impressive. I agree it’s way too early in his term of office to seriously speculate. He ran a masterful campaign in Virginia and I hope he continues this in actually governing. He actually has Warner and Webb joining him in allowing oil exploration off the Virginia coast.
For whatever it’s worth, McDonnell has far more real experience than the current occupant.
I’d like to see him take on Warner if that’s in his plans. It may not be out of the realm of possibility to see him as the VP candidate – that generally takes only a 3 month commitment.
Credo
Info on on SarahPac, incase anyone is interested
Illinicon (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 9:35PM EST (link)Money raised: $ 732,767
Money spent: $276,200
Money given to candidates: $ 10,000 (5 K to McCain and Murkowski)
Is it usual for a PAC to spend that much on adminstrative costs? Given the buzz surrounding her since the elections I am a bit surprised she hasnt raised more.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00458588&cycle=2010
My Potus shortlist
declared candidates:
1. Tim Pawlenty
2. Herman Cain
3. Gary Johnson
4. Rick Santorum
among declared and rumored candidates:
1. Rick Perry
2. Tim Pawlenty
3. Rudy Giuilani
4. Herman Cain
Just noticed
Illinicon (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 9:38PM EST (link)the last report was the PAC gave was on June 30, 2009, but still if the second-half fund raising matched the first then she still only raised only about 20k more than Pawlenty.
My Potus shortlist
declared candidates:
1. Tim Pawlenty
2. Herman Cain
3. Gary Johnson
4. Rick Santorum
among declared and rumored candidates:
1. Rick Perry
2. Tim Pawlenty
3. Rudy Giuilani
4. Herman Cain
Palin took in $1.4 million 6 months of the year
republicants (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 10:53PM EST (link)Her totals are very solid considering how little fundraising she has done compared to Pawlenty and Romney. I look for her to step up the fundraising bigtime now that she has a gig on FoxNews. Newt is rolling in PAC Money.
She has done pretty well for little effort so far. Given Huckabee’s poor fundraising she is the likely favorite to win Iowa. Romney is not the answer and never will be. I expect Bob McDonnelll to battle Palin, Pawlenty, and possibly Thune for the nomination. Newt will probably make a run. At this stage I for anyone other than Romney. Mike Pence is fantastic and so are Rubio and Ryan. Rubio will be president someday.
See, this is why Palin should always wear
Tbone (Diary) Saturday, January 30th at 11:07PM EST (link)flats. Everytime she dances with these guys, they look short.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
Once Palin comes in for Rubio, money will flow her way.
Section9 Saturday, January 30th at 11:17PM EST (link)Big Time.
I mean, as night follows day.
“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it”-Winston Churchill
Sarah Palin PAC $2.1 Million
mathews Sunday, January 31st at 12:58AM EST (link)but NO mention by Red State??
Didn't have Palin's figures
James Richardson (Diary) Sunday, January 31st at 1:01AM EST (link)When I authored the post. She was not intentionally left out; candidates/PACs report these figures on their own time, some sooner than others.
www.skepticians.com
Links to Sarah figures
Finrod (Diary) Sunday, January 31st at 1:39AM EST (link)Via RS McCain, Conservatives4Palin has her numbers.
Let’s get down to brass tacks here. How much for the ape?
Early 2012
CarolT (Diary) Sunday, January 31st at 9:24AM EST (link)I agree it is too early and we need new candidates, not recycled from 2008. I don’t see how Huckabee can be a candidate for us, he is a RINO from Hope. I do not like him one bit, he was a liberal governor and pardoned at least two that went on to kill again. How many more could there be?
Those big money gitters, RINO?
R. George Dunn Sunday, January 31st at 4:15PM EST (link)Romney was the choice of the nationalist 2005 RNC. When we the people said no, up steps Michael Steele, hoping to regain the RINO Nationalist power for President by attending to the name Pawlenty. Both are getting money from the corporates and leading in funding.
Gov Huckabee nearly won the 2008 primary had it not been for the hatchet job of lies by Fred Thompson in the SC Debate. Mike spent 1/10th that amount of some in the race and did so well.
It is way too early to be wasting energy on 2012 when 2010 is so vitally important to the Quest. Let us stop squabbling and get back to saving our Constitution. Jobs will be returned by FairTax please.
Petition of the Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., that, to wit: Be it known henceforth, “the Value of the Elected Representative of the United States of America, who has taken the Constitutional Oath of Office, shall be of the authority to challenge any Law to which is deemed Unconstitutional.” Let FREEDOM Reign!!!
How About This One?
gazinya Sunday, January 31st at 6:03PM EST (link)I saw a video clip of Mich. Congressman. His name is Thad McCotter. It was the first time I had seen or heard of him. He sounded like the type of person we need to re-fill our Right Wing Party with. He is a Repuliban, duh, and he is conservative. He spoke to the truth that abidding by the Constitution would have eleminated many of our problems and by returning to the Constitution would solve many of our political and economical problems. These are the people I would like to see. Uncompromising on principle and aware that a moral government is a better government.
Off topic but there must be many people like me who are way over tired of the commercials that suggest ‘This is the time to buy gold.’ Whille I’m out buying a couple of pounds of it, I can drop it in the trunk of my Royce. Sheesh.
“What objection can be made to him who wishes to tell the truth and consents to die for it?” Robespierre, 1794
Romney should have been the GOP candidate in 2008.
joebgardener Sunday, January 31st at 9:35PM EST (link)I think he would have crushed O in the debates and quite possibly eeked out a narrow win in the general.
He offers the best combination of executive experience and real world fiscal acumen. I still don’t see a stronger candidate in the GOP.
Romney/Daniels 2012!!
I’m a retread who keeps coming back after getting banned for trolling.
Stop worrying about 2012, it's 2010 that matters now.
morstar150 (Diary) Sunday, January 31st at 10:36PM EST (link)I keep hearing comments about Mitt Romney and 2008, and who we need in 2012. That is crazy! 2008 is gone. There are so many reasons why the Republicans didn’t win including there own ineptitude. All of these Republican come lately’s are poping up simply because true Americans are now standing up. The revolution is happening now! Look for what you can do now, not two years from now.
Does anybody kow that there is a special congressional election primary about to take place in two days?
Stop getting hung up on the past, and start getting involved in the now. The future will take care of itself.
Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil, in its worst, an intolerable one. (Thomas Paine)
As I mentioned earlier:
edwlstr Sunday, January 31st at 10:54PM EST (link)Nov. 2, 2010 is Emasculate Obama Day. EOD . Scott was just sharpening the blade in Massachusetts. And next November the impatient blade will start it’s tiny but important work.
Tiny is the key word. LOL
dudette Monday, February 1st at 8:05AM EST (link)Thanks for the laugh edwlstr
No 2008 Retreads; Fresh Faces for 2012
kuksool (Diary) Tuesday, February 2nd at 4:04PM EST (link)For 2012, I think its best if we go with a clean slate. No retreads. No Huckabee, no Romney, no Fred, no Rudy, and no Sarah.
No 2008 Retreads; Fresh Faces for 2012
kuksool (Diary) Tuesday, February 2nd at 4:04PM EST (link)For 2012, I think its best if we go with a clean slate. No retreads. No Huckabee, no Romney, no Fred, no Rudy, and no Sarah.
Good thing we didn't say that in '80...
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, February 2nd at 4:06PM EST (link)… or two time loser and “California Squish/Schweiker lover” Reagan would have been excluded.
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