DFL U.S. Senate candidate Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer reported year-end fundraising of $284,000 in his uphill race against more monied rivals Al Franken and Mike Ciresi.
Larry Weiss, Nelson-Pallmeyer's campaign manager, said the funds represented "a very respectable amount of money, especially since Jack was the last one in and has the least name recognition."
Weiss said that nearly all of the money was raised in the fourth quarter of 2007. In that same period, Franken raised $1.9 million, while the man they all hope to unseat, U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., raised $1.7 million. Ciresi has not made his 2007 fundraising totals available yet.
However, Weiss noted, unlike their better-known competitors, the Nelson-Pallmeyer fundraising team consists of one and a half staff people who are expected to fill in with other campaign duties.
"We spent very little to raise our money," Weiss said. The campaign has 1,400 donors with an average donation of $200, he said, and no money from political action committees. All but 111 of the donations are from Minnesota.
Weiss said the campaign is banking on other DFL candidates remaining true to their promise to abide by the party's endorsement in June. "We don't have enough for a primary," he said, "but we have a very adequate sum to wage a fight for the DFL endorsement and we're well on our way to doing that."
Other U.S. Senate candidates include Jim Cohen and Dick Franson. The candidates have until Jan. 30 to report their 2007 fundraising totals.
PATRICIA LOPEZ
