NM-01: 2008 1Q Totals for Heinrich and White

Heinrich's getting lots of attention from the netroots

Summary first quarter fundraising totals for two candidates in the NM-01 Congressional race have now been released ahead of the April 15th reporting deadline. Dem Martin Heinrich raised $200,000 this quarter, again matching the campaign's fundraising goal. That brings his total to an impressive $665,000 this election cycle in a primary race featuring three other candidates, in a state where all three Congressional seats and one Senate seat are open and filled with competitors chasing dollars.

Even better, Heinrich reportedly has nearly $350,000 in cash on hand, having run a fiscally prudent operation since he entered the race in August of last year. The campaign has emphasized grassroots outreach instead of expensive polling and consulting expenditures. As a result, a significant portion of Heinrich's financial support has come from small donors. He's received campaign contributions from more than 2,000 individuals to date.

In a statement Heinrich said, "I'm proud and humbled by the outpouring of support I’ve received from folks across this district. For months, we have focused on building both the grassroots and fundraising infrastructure that we will need to win in June and in November – and our huge successes at the convention and in this most recent fundraising period are proof that this campaign has what it takes to succeed."

Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, the GOP leadership's annointed candidate in the race, reportedly raised $233,000 in the first quarter of the year, bringing his total in the election cycle to about $447,000. He says he has approximately $300,000 in cash on hand, about $50,000 less than Heinrich even though White has only one nominal Repub primary competitor in Joe Carraro. Both the State Repub Party and the RNC have come out in support of White -- a rarity in a primary battle.

White's totals have to be disappointing to his campaign and the GOP alike. With little to no competition for donation dollars in the NM-01 Repub primary, you'd think White would be pretty much rolling in dough by now. Of course the Repubs have been lagging way behind Dem fundraising at all levels this election cycle. GOP donors have been mighty tight-fisted from the presidential race on down, reflecting a widespread lack of enthusiasm for both their candidates and their chances at a time when Repub positions on everything from the Iraq occupation to the economy are highly unpopular with the majority of voters.

Heinrich has consistently outraised all of his Democratic opponents, and is the clear frontrunner on the Dem side having garnered 56% of the delegate vote at the Dem's preprimary convention in March, double that of Michelle Lujan Grisham, his closest opponent. There's been no word yet on the first quarter fundraising totals from the other Dems in the primary race.

Also in the running are former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, who entered the race right before the filing deadline, and attorney Robert Pidcock, a political newcomer. Both of them submitted additional petition signatures to get on the ballot after they failed to get the needed 20% of delegate votes for an automatic place on the ballot. Meanwhile, 600 of Vigil-Giron's petition signatures are being challenged by supporters of Lujan Grisham. If successful, the suit would keep Vigil-Giron off the ballot.

To see our previous coverage of the 2008 Congressional race in NM-01, visit our archive.

Technorati Tags:Martin Heinrich, Darren White, NM-01, campaign fundraising, New Mexico, Joe Carraro, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Rebecca Vigil-Giron, Robert Pidcock