Washington DC (November 14, 2005) – Howard Dean, Chairman of the DNC Democratic National Committee, continued to perform well below expectations in the area of fundraising. Under his leadership, the Democrats are losing the fundraising race to the Republicans by a ratio of almost 2:1. From January through September 2005, the Republican National Committee raised $81.5 million, with $34 million remaining in the bank. The Democratic National Committee, by contrast, showed $42 million raised and $6.8 million in the bank. The “fundraising magic,” that Mr. Dean developed in the early phase of his 2004 Presidential campaign, had helped him win the coveted DNC Chairman position. Democratic strategists has began now to question whether Mr. Dean is the right person for the party in this critical phase, only 12 months before the upcoming mid-term election. Mr. Dean's trouble is beyond the fundraising. Because of his temper and excessive name-calling habits, he does not look like the right spokesman for the Democratic Party. Yesterday, he even refused to debate his RNC counterpart head-to-head on TV. Both parties do need a lot of money to compete in the 2006 Congress and gubernatorial elections where all 535 House seats, 33 Senate seats and 36 Governor seats are up for re-election. For last year Presidential election, the Republicans raised $ 785 million in "hard money" compared with $ 684 million by the Democrats. It is also worth noting that the Republicans have a substantial number of small donors of "average Americans," who are still rooting for the party. On the other side, the Democrats rely on more big donors like the likes of George Soros, Hollywood celebrities, trial lawyers and unions. These groups seem to suffer seriously from "donor-fatigue" after the defeat of John Kerry last year.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Can Dean survive at DNC?
Washington DC (November 14, 2005) – Howard Dean, Chairman of the DNC Democratic National Committee, continued to perform well below expectations in the area of fundraising. Under his leadership, the Democrats are losing the fundraising race to the Republicans by a ratio of almost 2:1. From January through September 2005, the Republican National Committee raised $81.5 million, with $34 million remaining in the bank. The Democratic National Committee, by contrast, showed $42 million raised and $6.8 million in the bank. The “fundraising magic,” that Mr. Dean developed in the early phase of his 2004 Presidential campaign, had helped him win the coveted DNC Chairman position. Democratic strategists has began now to question whether Mr. Dean is the right person for the party in this critical phase, only 12 months before the upcoming mid-term election. Mr. Dean's trouble is beyond the fundraising. Because of his temper and excessive name-calling habits, he does not look like the right spokesman for the Democratic Party. Yesterday, he even refused to debate his RNC counterpart head-to-head on TV. Both parties do need a lot of money to compete in the 2006 Congress and gubernatorial elections where all 535 House seats, 33 Senate seats and 36 Governor seats are up for re-election. For last year Presidential election, the Republicans raised $ 785 million in "hard money" compared with $ 684 million by the Democrats. It is also worth noting that the Republicans have a substantial number of small donors of "average Americans," who are still rooting for the party. On the other side, the Democrats rely on more big donors like the likes of George Soros, Hollywood celebrities, trial lawyers and unions. These groups seem to suffer seriously from "donor-fatigue" after the defeat of John Kerry last year.
