Rudy's On The Money
The money is flowing fast in what is easily on track to be the most expensive Senate race ever in New York.
Rudolph Giuliani has raised about $19 million for his New York Senate campaign, outpacing Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has $12 million in her campaign coffers.
Giuliani, New York City's Republican mayor, raised about $7 million during the first three months of this year, adding to nearly $12 million raised last year, according to figures released Thursday.
The first lady, a Democrat, raised a little more than $4 million for the Jan. 1 through March 31 period. She raised $8 million last year.
With seven months left to go before the election, Giuliani has raised more money than the total raised by Chuck Schumer for his successful Senate campaign in 1998.
"When a candidate does this well raising money, it's reflective of the fact that the candidate has tremendous support," said Giuliani's campaign manager Bruce Teitelbaum.
Of course, the candidate with the most money does not always win. Recent high-profile races in which Republicans have outspent Democrats but lost include Al D'Amato's campaign against Schumer, Oliver North's campaign against U.S. Sen. Charles Robb of Virginia and Michael Huffington's campaign against U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California.
Clinton's spokesman Howard Wolfson said he was happy with her fund-raising results and was not surprised that Giuliani raised more.
"We've had an outstanding period," Wolfson said. "They raised more than us in the last period."
An e-mail message sent out by the Clinton campaign Friday accused Giuliani of "employing a secret direct mail fundraising campaign filled with lies and distortions about Hillary." The message added that "Rudy's right-wing direct mail mastermind, Richard Viguerie has perviously raised funds for Oliver North, Jesse Helms and the NRA."
Neither campaign had estimates of their cash on hand, which would reflect how much has been spent.
Meanwhile, Republican Gov. George Pataki is helping to raise money to help defeat Clinton. However, his efforts have been on behalf of the Conservative Party, which may not support Giuliani.
In a fund-raising letter obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, the Republican governor asks for donations to the Conservatives so they can beat Clinton's "campaign machine."
No Republican running for statewide office has won in New York since 1974 without the support of the small Conservative Party, including Pataki.
Pataki spokesman Michael McKeon said the governor has been sending fund-raising letters to help the Conservative Party ever since he became governor.
Asked about the possibility that helping the Conservative Party could help elect Clinton, McKeon said: "We remain hopeful that the mayor will be able to work out his issues with the Conservative Party and that he'll be able to run on the Conservativ line."