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Candidates raising cash

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Also by Sam Brummitt:

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by Sam Brummitt

Monday, March 12, 2007

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and challenger Ray Allen have both stepped up their fundraising efforts as the April 3 mayoral election nears.

Although neither candidate in the Madison mayoral race has publicly disclosed his fundraising totals since the last official filing date of Dec. 31, both campaigns have intensified their efforts since the race was narrowed down to two candidates after the February primary.

"We've always done a lot more fundraising after the primary," said Megan McGrorty, Cieslewicz's campaign manager. "We've held about two [fundraising] events a week."

By Dec. 31 of last year, Cieslewicz raised about $220,000, while Allen had collected more than $116,000.

Semmi Pasha, spokesperson for Allen, explained that Allen's campaign has stepped into a higher gear to catch up with Cieslewicz's campaign funds.

"We are remaining competitive with fundraising," Pasha said. "Although I haven't seen the statement in a while, we've gotten a lot more small donations not only through the mail but through the website. I think there is a lot more attention being paid to the race now."

Both campaigns have received the majority of their campaign contributions from their grassroots efforts to solicit small contributions from individual residents.

"A number of grassroots contributions of $10, $15 and $20 have come in," Pasha said.

Cieslewicz has also been successful at accumulating small donations.

"We feel pretty confident with getting all the smaller, under-$100 contributions and with our grassroots efforts," McGrorty said.

According to Pasha, Allen has personally contributed more than $60,000 to his campaign. McGrorty said Cieslewicz has donated about $600 of his own money to his campaign.

Both campaigns will be busy contacting voters to raise money online and at various fundraising events.

"We are going to try to raise awareness through the website," Pasha said. "You can contribute electronically or the old fashioned way of sending a check in the mail."

Mayor Cieslewicz will be hosting two community gatherings in the next week, and Gov. Jim Doyle will be hosting a fundraiser for Cieslewicz March 19 at the Brocach Irish Pub near the Capitol.

Another event will be held March 16 at Genna's Lounge, the day after the Madison Film Festival's schedule is released, and those who donate will receive tickets to films at the festival.

"The [community gathering] is a neat event — it's bringing in people from the arts community and will be a fundraiser for Dave and for the Wisconsin Film Festival," McGrorty said.

Allen will be hosting two forums this Wednesday, including a Rotary Club lunch at Madison Area Technical College.

Mayor Cieslewicz is seeking a second term in the April 3 election. He and Allen defeated two other mayoral candidates, Peter Muñoz and Will Sandstrom, in the February primary in order to move on to the general election.

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Anonymous (March 12, 2007 @ 11:01am):

December 31? Um, what about the pre-primary deadline? Did you look at those reports? Or were you too busy writing your story based off the one Courtney Johnson wrote on Feb. 2?

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