|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
June 23, 2000Stupak will run, but challenge is greaterCapitol Hill newspaper wrongly reported Menominee Democrat was not going to seek re-electionBy MARJORY RAYMERRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Reports implying Rep. Bart Stupak would not seek re-election were quickly denied Thursday by his campaign, which appears to face a greater challenge than Democrats first thought. A Capitol Hill newspaper reported on Thursday that Stupak, D-Menominee, had called off all fund-raising for the foreseeable future and that Democratic campaign officials had added the 1st District to its list of targeted races. Another news agency reportedly proclaimed, "Stupak-ing up." Not so. In fact, a source close to the campaign said Stupak will call a press conference next week in Washington to officially announce his re-election bid. Stupak's campaign manager Joe Johnson said the campaign did slow in the weeks following the May 13 death of Stupak's son, Bart Jr., from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. "After the tragedy, things just stopped," Johnson said. "We're just now getting going again." Although Stupak was involved in no fund-raising in May and June, future events already are being planned and "money is coming in every day," Johnson said. However, Stupak now faces the challenge of trying to raise more money in a short time. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, reported Thursday that leading Democrats were worried and that Stupak's campaign remained inactive with just over four months before the November election. It cited a letter by Patrick Kennedy, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, that called for donors to help Stupak. "Bart works very hard, but he has never raised a large war chest," the memo reportedly stated. "This year it will be necessary for Bart to be ready for the GOP's big money machine." Johnson said in the end Stupak likely will raise more than the typical $600,000 to $700,000 he has spent on last elections as he faces off against Republican Chuck Yob of East Jordan. "Bart's friends are rallying around him," Johnson said. "They're saying, 'We're going to help you, and we're going to get others to help you.'" As a national Republican committeeman, Yob is a longtime behind-the-scenes GOP operative. He was able to collect $200,000 in the first three months of his campaign. The tally now is "well above $300,000," according to his campaign manager and son, John Yob. Stupak had raised $350,000 as of the first reporting period in April and by his own admission has collected few donations since. Incumbents traditionally are in a position to collect far more contributions than challengers. However, if these figures hold true, the battle for the biggest all-important money bags could be a toss up. That puts a new spin on this race. Republicans have fought to take the 1st District back from Democratic control ever since Stupak was elected in 1992, but they have gained little to no ground. Even last election in which Stupak faced the politically experienced former state Rep. Michelle McManus, Stupak triumphed by winning all but two of the district's 28 counties. Johnson remained undaunted by potentially being outspent by a challenger. "That's OK. We'll be OK," he said. "Bart won in '98 by 19 points and everything but the kitchen sink was thrown at him." Johnson refused to term Yob as Stupak's toughest challenger to date. "I don't know that yet," he said. |
|
