Wicker’s coffers best Musgrove’s by more than 3-1
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Tupelo has spent more than $1.16 million to keep the job he’s had only eight months.
While he’s taken in more than $3.35 million, he’s pushed his total war chest to more than $4 million with transfers from other authorized committees, the latest quarterly reports from the Federal Election Commission show.
Wicker’s cash-on-hand is nearly $3 million, boosted by nearly $209,000 from the Wicker-MS Victory Committee partnership with the Mississippi Republican Party.
Wicker faces former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, a Democrat, on the Nov. 4 special election ballot, which will be printed without party labels.
In quarterly finance reports filed Friday, Wicker showed 555 donations, including $17,400 that was returned because some gifts went over the maximum per individual or political action committee. Some 137 PACS made contributions.
For the year so far, Wicker’s fundraising has outpaced Musgrove’s – his individual giving is $2.24 million versus Musgrove’s just over $1.03 million, and swamping Musgrove with PAC money at $1.1 million versus $185,000.
And Wicker’s spending was just short of 2-1 – $1.16 million compared to Musgrove’s $553,424.
Despite an overall weaker war chest, Musgrove reported strong fundraising during the second quarter with more than $813,000 raised or more than 60 percent of total donations. His turnback to over-limit contributors was $11,750.
And Musgrove strongly eclipsed Wicker’s quarter fundraising from individuals, although his PAC support fell well below 50 percent of Wicker’s.
Musgrove and Wicker showed virtually the same number of individual givers, about 550 each from April 1 through June 30.
As for cash on hand, Musgrove reports $716,180. He shows support from 43 PACs.
NE MS Daily Journal
8/19/8
Magnolia Tribune
