Allen’s campaign coffers weightier than Longley’s > Incumbent claims late start in fund-raising effort

AUGUSTA — It’s rare when a challenger manages to build a bigger campaign war chest than the incumbent, but in his race against 1st District Congressman James Longley, Democrat Tom Allen has managed to pull it off.

According to campaign finance reports filed with the secretary of state’s office Wednesday, Allen, as of Sept. 30, had raised $755,903 compared to Longley’s $665,775. Besides having the jump on Longley in fund-raising, Allen also appears to have a slight lead in the polls.

The fund-raising gap between the two is even more pronounced when the $203,556 Longley had in his campaign account at the end of 1995 is deducted from his two-year total. At the end of 1995, Allen had raised just $32,044.

As a result, from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 of this year, the Allen campaign raised $693,088 while Longley accumulated just $462,219. A large portion of the funds raised by Allen were expended during his successful primary run against Dale McCormick.

The finance reports reveal that the majority of contributors to both campaigns are from Maine. Individual contributions ranged from $3 to the maximum donation of $1,000. Occupations listed by the donors run from housewives to retirees and everything between.

Donations from political action committees also play a big part in the totals of both candidates, with many reaching the maximum contribution level allowed by law of $10,000. In Allen’s case the PACs tend to represent labor and environmental groups. Longley tends to draw cash from corporations and defense contractors.

Each finance report consists of approximately 300 pages, with 10 individual contributions listed per page.

Allen reported spending $599,045 on his campaign to date while Longley has spent $454,408. The reports indicate that Allen has $135,015 cash on hand and Longley $211,297. Both campaigns will likely expend that and more as the race comes down to the wire.

“We are very proud that 60 to 70 percent of the funds we have raised have come from people here in Maine,” Allen spokesman Mark Sullivan said Wednesday. “We feel we are in good financial shape and are going to have the resources we need to win.”

Longley has freely admitted that for much of the year he was more concerned with fulfilling his duties in Washington than raising funds for his re-election campaign. He said this week that he expected to gain in resources now that he is back in the state defending his record.

“Since I began my campaign this fall,” said Longley, “I am proud that 60 percent of my contributions have come from individuals.”

The 1st District incumbent said, “I made the decision when I was elected to do a job and I’m doing just that. I knew early on that I would be facing an ongoing campaign against me, but I had a job to do and wasn’t going to mount a 20-month campaign of fund-raising.”

Listed among the individual contributors to Allen were: publisher Peter Cox, $1,000; Central Maine Power president David Flanagan, $1,000; L.L. Bean Chief Executive Officer Leon A. Gorman, $200; and former Sen. William Hathaway, $1,000.

PAC contributions to the Allen campaign include: Democratic Congressional Campaign, $5,200; AFSCME, $10,000; Association of Firefighters, $$3,500; National Education Association, $10,000; AFL-CIO, $10,000; Government Employees Association, $5,250; Hollywood Women’s PAC, $1,000; and Trial Lawyers Association, $10,000.

Among the individuals contributing to Longley’s campaign were: Robert A.G. Monks, $1,000; Cianbro Corp. President Peter Vigue, $1,000; Henrietta Page Crane, $1,000; and Sebago Shoe executive Daniel Wellehan, $750.

PAC contributions to the Longley campaign include: National Republican Party, $7,137; American Optometric Association, $2,500; American Dental Association, $2,750; American Medical Association, $6,000; Association of Private Pension and Welfare, $2,750; Citizens for Olympia Snowe, $1,000; Cohen for Senate, $2,000; General Dynamics, $3,500; Independent Bankers, $1,000; Insurance Agents of America, $2,500; Liberty Mutual, $1,000; Lockheed, $4,500; McDonald Douglas, $1,500; MBNA, $5,000; and Reform PAC of Congressman Tony Weller, $4,000.