Sound Politics: Another Week, Another Rossi Contributor Milestone

August 11, 2008

Another Week, Another Rossi Contributor Milestone

At the tail end of a recent, monthly update to its email list, the Rossi campaign tucked in the news it has passed the 41,000th contributor threshold.

Why does that matter? Rossi's surprising 2004 campaign amassed 30,745 contributors - including a number of business community contributors now sidelined by the incumbency of Christine Gregoire. A roughly 33% increase in total donors, over 60% of which didn't contribute in 2004, is indicative of the grassroots enthusiasm for Rossi's campaign...the opposite of what conventional wisdom says should be happening this year.

Oh, and its only August.

Cross-posted at the Examiner.

Posted by Eric Earling at August 11, 2008 10:23 PM | Email This

Comments

1. That's awesome! Is anyone in Seattle reading the writing on the wall?

For an incumbent, 20-25% new donors is awesome. Over 60% is unheard of!

Posted by: Mike on August 11, 2008 11:09 PM

2. Is this a count of total contributors, or total contributions (which would allow for multiple contributions from an individual contributor)?

Posted by: Daniel K on August 11, 2008 11:14 PM

3. "At the tail end of a recent, monthly update to its email list, the Rossi campaign tucked in the news it has passed the 41,000th contributor threshold."

I wonder what would happen if we compared this claim to the PDC reports?

"...including a number of business community contributors now sidelined by the incumbency of Christine Gregoire."

So, businesses cannot contribute to a Repu-- Member of the G.O.P. Party Party Party (Party) if a Democrat is in office? Huh? Or has she been so good for business, they're voting for her with their dollars?

"A roughly 33% increase in total donors, over 60% of which didn't contribute in 2004..."

So, some percentage of his 2004 contributors did not contribute? No wonder he lost! If he gets the largest number of non-contributing contributors, will you demand that Judge Bridges hand him the election this time?

Posted by: tensor on August 11, 2008 11:45 PM

4. tensor, the blowback for a small business person is quite significant if you don't "play the game". In my case, my best client disappeared after I supported his buddy's opponent (favorite son of the establishment), but I am not known to be a lapdog.

Many businesses are faced with that decision. In my case, I didn't have a lot of unpaid equipment and I didn't have a lot of employees at that time that I had to feed, so I didn't have trouble supporting my friend.

Six years later, I still feel the backlash, so I think Eric knows what he is talking about

Posted by: swatter on August 12, 2008 07:38 AM