AUGUSTA – Gov. John E. Baldacci filed an affidavit with the state ethics panel Tuesday declaring he had not yet raised enough money in private contributions to trigger matching funds for his three publicly funded opponents.

But a supporter of Republican candidate Chandler Woodcock said that if Baldacci doesn’t cross the $404,000 threshold sometime within the next two weeks, he certainly will on Oct. 16 when former President Clinton is scheduled to appear on the governor’s behalf at a Portland fundraiser.

“I think they had hoped they could run a low-key campaign that would allow them to delay crossing the $400,000 mark until much later – obviously, the way things are going, that strategy is not working,” said Dan Billings, a Woodcock spokesman.

According to documents filed Tuesday with the state Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, Baldacci had raised $258,300 for the filing period that runs July 19 through Sept. 19. The Democratic incumbent has raised nearly $1 million to date, but only $350,768 of it since the June primary election, according to campaign workers. During the most recent filing period, Baldacci raised cash contributions from private contributors of $258,300 and reported in-kind contributions of $3,191. He reported expenditures of $180,432 and closed the filing with $82,963 in cash on hand.

Woodcock, Green Independent Party nominee Pat LaMarche and independent candidate Barbara Merrill all seem to have taken different approaches on when to spend the $400,000 in public Clean Election funds each has received for the general election in November. Woodcock reported expenses of nearly $333,000 during the filing period and had about $43,000 remaining in his account. LaMarche spent about $130,000 and still has about $132,000 in the bank. Meanwhile, Merrill reported about $73,000 in expenses and nearly $250,000 in available cash.

“From the beginning, I have budgeted for my campaign as though I would only receive $400,000, so I’ve had to be very careful,” Merrill said. “Also, I believe in frugal economic policies and it’s important that I run my campaign just as frugally.”

As the only major privately funded candidate in the race, Baldacci has carefully watched his fundraising in order to avoid reaching the $404,000 threshold which could trigger up to an additional $800,000 for each of his publicly funded opponents. Although all of the candidates would like to know when and how much in matching funds they will receive as a result of the governor’s fund-raising efforts, Baldacci is clearly in control of that timetable.

“We always planned a $400,000 campaign, but we will certainly know how to spend any additional funds should they come our way,” Billings said.

A fifth privately funded candidate on the ballot, Phillip Morris NaPier, did not file a report because of fundraising inactivity.