Back from coffee with Powell campaign worker. She wrote this to me yesterday, and today authorized me to tell DU this:
"No one who has run against Cantor has ever raised even $200,000. Wayne ALREADY has 1/2 million. With more coming in every day.
Even with such a small warchest as some of the others had, and no real media buys, they secured over 30% of the vote. Wayne has already run a series of TV ads that are being talked about, and another ad buy is underway.
Wayne's name recognition is growing. He walked in a parade in Glen Allen, which is considered very Republican territory, and was cheered - with people shouting out that he's the man who isn't for sale (a campaign slogan).
The polls are not looking good for Eric Cantor. Congressional approval is at an all-time low, and Cantor is strongly associated as the leader. His approval ratings in the district are terrible (see powellforva.com for details), and our polling tells us that moderate republicans are open to a candidate like Wayne. And our interactions with those people proves the polling to be accurate.
If Cantor didn't think he had to defend himself he would never have agreed to debate Wayne. Because he hasn't had a debate in 10 years (since the first election) this is not a skill he has been honing. There will be no softball followups from Wayne.
We think that we need enough money to make sure that Wayne's message is out there, and enough to defend against the inevitable attacks. But Cantor's millions can't buy him a positive history, and many of his constituents are wise to him."
She also wrote: "Our local committee held a small fundraiser here in Culpeper yesterday and raised a few thousand, just from a very local group, most of whom are just regular folks."
She told me today, after I told her of DUers' interest in polling in order to decide whether to contribute (my paraphrase They're not spending money on polling, but rather on getting the word out. She also said, Powell was at an event recently, where he met with a VFW spokesperson who said, VFW will NOT support Cantor. This is seen as a very important 'endorsement,' whether its an affirmative endorsement or not. Means a LOT of veterans will not be encouraged to vote Cantor in the district
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