Former Congressman and current congressional candidate Alan Grayson (D-Orlando) announced Wednesday his campaign’s fundraising efforts in the third quarter ending September 2011, netted a whopping $416,270.
The contributions were received from 11,031 individuals, with the average contribution amounting to less than $38, the campaign said. Grayson’s contributor base, which reached almost 100,000 during his last campaign, is already larger than almost any other House member has reported in filings to the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
By comparison, based on the most recent information posted on the FEC website, Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Winter Garden) reported a paltry 105 donors in the most recent quarter reported. Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Oviedo) reported only 143 during the same period.
Commenting on the broad-based public support from small contributors, Grayson said, “This is what People Power looks like.”
In dollar terms, Grayson’s army of contributors is providing greater support than Central Florida has seen for any other candidate for the U.S. House.
Grayson’s third quarter total dwarfs Webster’s most recent quarterly haul of $116,441, or the $91,625 brought in by Rep. Bill Posey (R-Rockledge). He has been able to attract public support, not support from lobbyists. In fact, 99% of Grayson’s third quarter contributions came from individuals, not political action committees (PACs), the campaign pointed out.
The Republican incumbents, by comparison, demonstrated their reliance on special interest money. PAC money made up 63% of the quarterly fundraising of Rep. John Mica (R-Winter Park), 54% of Posey’s take, and a staggering 71% for Rep. Richard Nugent (R-Brooksville), based on the latest FEC numbers available.
“People are tired of politicians being controlled by Wall Street lobbyists. It is obvious that I will not suck up to the special interests that are intent on destroying the middle class,” Grayson declared.
