Ron Paul Fundraising - $1.5 Million in Donations or $5 Million?

[Devil_rules_in_extremes]

Ron Paul Fundraising - $1.5 Million in Donations or $5 Million?

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?storyid=18420&ret=Default.aspx

Washington D.C. 7/5/2007 4:32 AM GMT (TransWorldNews - Top Story)

Early reports by Free Market News had Ron Paul raising $5 million in campaign contributions but recently report that the number is closer to $1.5 million.

Ron Paul's campaign has garnered a lot of steam on the Internet over the past couple of months but that has had no impact on Ron Paul's poll numbers nationally or in any of the 50 states.

If Ron Paul gets $1.5 million dollars, it will be good news for a candidate that gets 1-2% in the national polls but will do very little to catapult him into the upper echelon of candidates.



This is a story that came out about 5-6 hours ago...

I will be extremely dis-appointed if only 1.5 million was raised by the Ron Paul campaign...

I certainly hope this is just a ploy figure leaked out by the campaign so when the REAL numbers come out, we can all be pleasantly suprised... I hope...

[LibertyEagle]

All I know is that Free Market News needs to shut the hell up.

[mesler]

Yeah, I wish that report hadn't come out and gotten everyone's hopes and expectations up so high.

[Devil_rules_in_extremes]

All I know is that Free Market News needs to shut the hell up.

It's not just Free Market News. People from the RP campaign are the ones that gave or I should say; "leaked", Free Market News the 5 million dollar figure...

[rich34]

Imo, he's got somewhere around 4 million. We're in good shape no need to fret.

[Buzz]

How would they know?

[Kuldebar]

All I know is that Free Market News needs to shut the hell up.


It's a bullshit story from TransWorldNews. The original FMN article was cautious enough for any reasonable person.

Additionally, we still don't have the numbers yet.

Ron Paul's campaign is going to get belittled and ridiculed no matter what, there's plenty of nonsense that can be made about any number of things. The TransWorldNews is just another example.

[mesler]

I think FMNN talked to someone close to the campaign who was very excited and quoted them on something that wasn't accurate. I later read somewhere on Daily Paul that the figure was more like 1.5mil. So we will see.

[dude58677]

I spoke with Andrew Michel and he said that the figure was 3-4 million.

[Kuldebar]

The Original FMN article:


GOP Ron Paul - Five Million Dollar Man?
Thursday, June 07, 2007 - FreeMarketNews.com

See update, initial story ...

=====

July 2, 2007

Ron Paul - Healthy Fund Trend, 2nd Quarter

With financial reporting deadlines looming on July 15 for the political quarter, donations continue on a healthy trend, say sources close to the campaign of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-Tex). FMNN had previously reported that “donations have moved up - not by hundreds of thousands - but by millions as a result of his debate performances and groundswell of support on the Internet and in New Hampshire.”

Campaign observers had estimated that, at the low end, donations were “definitely” in the area of $3 million – and could run as high as $5 million - while cautioning, however, “that such amounts are somewhat speculative.” Recent information from campaign observers indicate that campaign donation receivables could total up to $3 million or more as soon as next quarter, given pledges, current donation trends and the continuing enthusiasm for Ron Paul’s free-market message.

These sources believe that current fund-raising totals at least $1.5 million - riding a groundswell of support generated by his small government, anti-foreign-war message. Cash-on-hand could reach $750,000 or more.

“Donations are well ahead of anything the campaign expected,” one campaign observer said. “The grass roots enthusiasm for the Ron Paul campaign is reflected not only the in the amount raised, but in the number of donations and how many are donating several times, even serially.”

The move is especially impressive since as of March 31, 2007, Ron Paul had perhaps $500,000 on hand. FMNN had previously reported – after the GOP presidential debate in South Carolina - that candidate Ron Paul’s donations, large and small, had nearly doubled.

=====

June 7, 2007

Congressman Ron Paul’s donations have moved up - not by hundreds of thousands - but by millions as a result of his debate performances and groundswell of support on the Internet and in New Hampshire, observers close to the campaign say.

The move is especially impressive since as of March 31, 2007, he had perhaps $500,000 on hand (see candidate estimates below).

FMNN had previously reported – after the GOP presidential debate in South Carolina - that candidate Ron Paul’s (R-Tex) donations, large and small, had nearly doubled.

http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=42336

Now observers close to the campaign are revealing – with some astonishment – that donations to the campaign in recent weeks have pushed the total up to perhaps $4 or $5 million.

“That’s a huge number at this stage,” says one observer. “That starts to put him in a position where he can compete – state by state, anyway – with the major candidates.”

And this source added, “Of course, it’s hard to tell because the numbers keep changing – and thus nobody at the campaign has a firm count, at least not hour to hour. But the numbers are big. It’s definitely over three, probably over four, and if it hasn’t hit five yet, it will soon.”

At this rate, say observers, Ron Paul could have something like $10 million in his coffers inside of several months, and the total could keep growing – so long as he continues to hit on themes that Americans support – how to return the country to a true, small government, constitutional republic and how to end the war in Iraq.

To be sure such amounts are somewhat speculative. But to put the amount of money Ron Paul is said to have raised recently in perspective, here are the figures of cash on hand for GOP candidates as of March 31, 2007:

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/money/gop.html

Sam Brownback
cash-on-hand: $806,626

Jim Gilmore
cash-on-hand: $90,107

Rudy Giuliani
cash-on-hand: $11,949,735

Mike Huckabee
cash-on-hand: $373,918

Duncan Hunter
cash-on-hand: $272,552

John McCain
cash-on-hand: $5,180,799

Ron Paul
cash-on-hand: $524,919

Mitt Romney
cash-on-hand: $11,863,653

Tom Tancredo
cash-on-hand: $575,078

Tommy Thompson
cash-on-hand: $139,723

Source: CNN


Staff Reports - Free-Market News Network

[ChicagoLawyer]

I spoke with Andrew Michel and he said that the figure was 3-4 million.

When did you speak with him? You can't tease us with this without more information!:)

[d991]

My guess is that if information was "leaked" to that Free Market News, or perhaps other websites, that it could have been from an over-zealous supporter even if they worked on the Ron Paul campaign and just got swept up in the number of new donations coming in without actually knowing that dollar amount and things like that.

In any case there are so many other factors to consider here:

1) The Ron Paul campaign may run on a shoe-string budget, but we really need to consider that supporters are WAY more dedicated to spreading the message. Just reading about various 4th of July celebrations and the number of Ron Paul fans who were out in full force to inform people is amazing. Not only does it cost his campaing $0, but it is also relatively cheap for the people who go out and do it.

2) People are not only contributing money to the campaign directly, but there are other avenues where money is spent but not counted. If you look at all the MeetUp groups, I have seen some really amazing things come out of those with sign-making and other innovative ideas that people pour money into that get the message out.

So if the "official" amount is somewhere near say, $2-4 million, I don't think ANYONE should be discouraged. There is a long way to go and so many other factors involved. While $2 million might disappoint those who read that Free Market News article, I think all the other candidates, especially on the GOP side, will be amazed that much was raised. I don't even think the media can ignore it...but we will find out soon enough.

[Bradley in DC]

I think FMNN talked to someone close to the campaign who was very excited and quoted them on something that wasn't accurate.

Anyone on the campaign who would know will not give any indication--not even discussable since the FMN "leak" many weeks ago--despite all of my efforts....