Incumbent sens. boost pocketbooks ahead of ’10

Several senators facing reelection this cycle barely waited for the 2008 elections to end before they hit the fundraising circuit.

Even as donors examined the fallout from President Obama’s victory and an expanded Democratic majority in the Senate, Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) all raised more than a half-million dollars in the final three months of 2008 before they face their own reelection battles in 2010.

{mosads}Reid, the Senate majority leader who has already been the target of a National Republican Senatorial Committee television advertisement, raised about $810,000 in the fourth quarter and kept $3.3 million in the bank.

His only GOP opponent thus far is Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, who faces charges of mishandling public money as the Silver State’s treasurer. But Republicans have indicated Reid will be one of their top 2010 targets.

Specter is likely to be a top Democratic target this cycle as he seeks his sixth term in office. The Republican raised $611,000 between October and December and ended the year with a hefty $5.8 million cash on hand.

No Democrat has announced a bid to take on Specter, though Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) has made his interest in the Senate seat known. Specter could also face a tough challenge in the GOP primary. Former Rep. Pat Toomey, who gave Specter a run for his money in 2004, has not ruled out running again.

Republicans are hoping to woo California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) into a Senate race against Boxer, though that prospect is seen as a long shot. But Boxer raised just under $690,000 last quarter, ending with $4.1 million on hand. And it’s worth noting California has an enormously expensive media market.

Murray, who won an easier-than-expected reelection bid against Rep. George Nethercutt (R-Wash.) in 2004, raised $524,000 for the quarter and ended with $2.5 million cash on hand. No serious Republican has emerged to target the three-term Democrat.

Among those who are seeking to join the Senate, Houston Mayor Bill White has started off at a quick pace, pulling in $768,000 since announcing his candidacy for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-Texas) seat.

Though Hutchison’s seat is not up until 2012, she has indicated she may step down to pursue a bid for Texas governor, setting up the possibility of a special election late this year or early in 2010.

Texas Republicans said to be interested in Hutchison’s seat include Reps. Jeb Hensarling and Joe Barton , who boast $1.5 million and $1.4 million in the bank, respectively, following easy re-election bids in 2008.

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) finished the quarter with more than $2 million on hand, while Sens. David Vitter (R-La.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) both topped $1 million.

Though he has not made public his own report — instead of filing with the Federal Election Commission, senators file with the Secretary of the Senate, delaying the reports’ publications for days — Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) is expected to lead all senators in fundraising.

Through the end of the third quarter, Shelby had a massive $13.3 million in the bank, more than six times the amount he spent on his 2004 reelection bid.

Unlikely to face a serious challenge in 2010, Shelby’s haul is a constant point of contention among Senate Republicans seeking help from their colleagues. Shelby has said donors who give his campaign money should know that his campaign is the only one that will use it.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the recent quarter is Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), who has just $150,000 in the bank even though he is all but certain to face a difficult reelection battle if he runs.

Bunning has maintained he will campaign for a third term, setting up awkward run-ins with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and NRSC chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas), both of whom have publicly said in recent weeks they are not aware of his intentions.

Several Democrats are already considering the race, with Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (D) an announced candidate. Mongiardo came close to defeating Bunning in 2004. Auditor Crit Luallen, Attorney General Jack Conway and Rep. Ben Chandler (Ky.) are all seen as potential candidates for the Democratic nomination as well.