Central MA Candidates with the Most Campaign Cash
Friday, March 28, 2014
GoLocal took a look at the potential candidates who filed papers with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign & Political Finance (OCPF) for the Senate and House races in Central Massachusetts to date -- and if they filed the latest campaign finance reports prior to the end of the last reporting period
See Which Candidates Have Raised How Much BELOW
How important is the role of money in statewide legislative campaigns?
"While money is important, it is not the only factor. State Rep. Shaunna O'Connell won despite being out spent. State Rep. Jim Lyons was outspent and he still won," said Chris Pinto, Vice chairman of the Worcester Republican City Committee. "You need adequate money -- not more money."
"Regarding local campaigns, there is no substitute for sweat, shoe leather, and likeability," said former Speaker of the House Tom Finneran.
Role of Money in Statewide Races
As of December 31, 2013, Wyatt had and ending campaign balance of $40,894.62, with $20,000 listed as "outstanding liabilities." Incumbent State Representative Harold Naughton, Jr. had and ending balance of $26,369.83 for the same time period.
"You need money to run -- no question. The candidate that spends the most the most may win frequently," said Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Pam Wilmot. "There's a saturation level, especially statewide, but it's a different dynamic for legislative races."
Echoing Finneran's sentiment, Wilmost said, "Especially at the House lever, you can pretty much walk the district. If you expend a lot of shoe leather, you can run a cheap race."
Wilmot added, "Like many races, if there are incumbents, they have to really mess up or be out of step. The public prefers people they know -- they don't always get the nuances, they don't feel like taking risks -- unless there's a good reason."
Finneran, who weighed in further, said, "The impact of money on local legislative races is always exaggerated and rarely meaningful. It's different for statewide candidates due to the cost of broadcast media. For those races early money, a good poll or two, and a sense of possibility help create important momentum. One other critical element is a message that meshes with the mood of the electorate. "
Looking at '14 Elections -- and Disclosure
"We're pushing for transparency on outside money," said MA Common Cause's Wilmot. "We'd like to see more frequent campaign finance reporting in general, but that's not the top of our list, transparency is." Common Cause is urging voters to contact their legislators to "shine the light on dark money."
As for candidates declaring early, with the primary and general elections months away - but fast approaching, candidate Wyatt said, "It depends on the race, but in general, having more time to prepare and get your message to the voters is usually good. Showing strong fundraising support out of the gate can send a positive message to other potential donors that "I'm a credible candidate."
Related Slideshow: Central MA State Legislature Candidates’ Campaign Finances
The candidates listed below represent the Massachusetts candidates who filed papers with the Board of Elections as of March 27, 2014. Since Campaign Finance Reports are filed bi-annually, reports are not available for those who filed after December 31, 2013.
The slides below list the candidates ending balance for the most recent filing period. Full reports are available through the The Massachusetts Office of Campaign & Political Finance by following the links provided
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House
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