Senate candidates scramble to raise cash before deadline

They hope full coffers will help sway voters

Thursday, July 01, 2004
By Bill Walsh
Washington bureau

WASHINGTON -- Candidates for U.S. Senate in Louisiana were burning up the phone lines Wednesday in a last-minute push to raise money before the midnight deadline for reporting second-quarter financial contributions.

With the campaign to replace Sen. John Breaux, D-La., still in flux, candidates are eager to show as much money in the bank as possible to convince voters and would-be contributors that they are serious contenders. Qualifying for the Nov. 2 primary is Aug. 4-6.

"It's interpreted as a gauge of campaign strength," said Jason Redmond, campaign manager for John Kennedy, the Democratic state treasurer.

Redmond said that checks were still coming in late Wednesday. He estimated that the campaign would report raising close to $500,000 since April 1 and would have a little more than $1 million on hand when reports are filed with the Federal Election Commission in mid-July.

more: http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1088666912309170.xml

I haven't heard a lot about him Chris John doing any fundraising in Lafayette. I certainly hope he gets some help from Kerry or Edwards. We need to win this one. Maybe it's me; I haven't been keeping up with the local news. He's pretty popular here in Lafayette.