Senate race coffers filling Allen’s funds top Collins’ early

WASHINGTON – Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Democratic Rep. Tom Allen left money trails in the last election that point toward a possible face-off in the 2008 race for Senate, campaign analysts said.

Collins plans to run for a third term in the Senate, said Steve Abbott, the senator’s chief of staff. Allen, who is in his sixth term in the House representing the 1st District, has not yet made an official decision to run but is exploring the possibility, said Mark Sullivan, the congressman’s press secretary.

“As [Allen] stated, he is very interested in looking at the opportunity” to run for senator, Sullivan said. “But he’s not on a timetable to make any announcements.”

Allen already has more campaign cash on hand than Collins has, according to reports filed by each politician with the Federal Election Commission. As of Dec. 31, 2006, Allen had $501,849, while Collins had $435,657.

“Having cash on hand is the first sign that it’s going to be a serious challenge,” said Bradley Smith, a former chairman of the FEC.

As an incumbent in the 2006 election, Allen already has a base of donors and name recognition, since he is one of only two representatives in the state, Smith said. He noted, however, that Collins has a strong fundraising record.

“Allen, obviously, is a major player, and I think he’ll have a good individual base to draw money from,” said Smith, now a law professor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. “The vast majority of funding always comes from individuals, about 80 percent [of it] or more.”

On average, candidates raise about $7.8 million for Senate races, according to data analysis from the Center for Responsive Politics. However, races in states such as Maine may have a lower average because of lower campaign costs, particularly less expensive television advertising, said Massie Ritsch, communications director at the center, which tracks money in politics.

“Maine will be a cheaper race because you don’t have expensive media, such as in New York,” Ritsch said. Campaign funds may peak around the $5 million mark in the state’s next senatorial election, he added.

Collins, who raised just over $4.5 million in her race in 2002, already has strong support in the state, with an overall approval rating of 73 percent as of last November, according to survey results from www.govtrack.us, an independent congressional tracking site.

In regard to Allen’s fundraising prospects for 2008, Sullivan said the congressman is taking it slow.

“[Allen] thinks Maine people deserve a little break from campaigns,” Sullivan said.

Though a Senate campaign remains uncertain for Allen, fundraising events for Collins are under way, Abbott said.

“We are starting fundraising opportunities now,” Abbott said. “Sen. Collins has historically been a very strong fundraiser. I’m confident she’ll have enough money to run a first-rate, well-financed campaign.”

Democratic Rep. Michael Michaud of Maine’s 2nd District is not planning on a 2008 senatorial run, according to Monica Castellanos, the congressman’s press secretary.

As a result, Michaud gave $70,500 of his leadership political action committee funds to Democratic candidates in the last election, almost 10 percent of his overall funds, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

“Right now the congressman wants to focus on the office he was just elected to,” Castellanos said. “He did give a fair amount of money out [in the last election] because he wanted to work with his colleagues who were committed to the same issues.”

Ritsch said candidates often donate to other campaigns to be a “team player,” but those saving money for an election inevitably give less away.