Second Quarter Fundraising Notebook

Fundraising reports have been out for about four days now, and I just wanted to take the time to point out some of the things inside them beside them besides just who has how much.

In the First District, Alan Nunnelee took advantage of formally becoming the Republican nominee to reign in some Republican money in state and nationally that didn’t want to get involved in a competitive primary.

Nunnelee took in donations from PACs belonging to Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA), Rep. Mike Conway (R-TX), Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), Rep. John Kline (R-MN), Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA), Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY), Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX), Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), and Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL). Needless to say, the national GOP is starting to come through for Nunnelee.

Mississippians- on a national scale- who gave to Nunnelee include Senators Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran, Rep. Gregg Harper and Gov. Haley Barbour (via their PACs). Another national figures that donated to Nunnelee is Mike Huckabee.

Nunnelee also picked up donations from state and local politicians include Rep. Gary Chism (R-Columbus), Southaven Mayor (and 2008 GOP nominee) Greg Davis, and Sec. of State Delbert Hosemann.

The one donation that intrigues me in Huckabee. He endorsed Nunnelee well before the primary and is a potential 2012 presidential candidate. Will Nunnelee- should he win election- return the favor and endorse the former Arkansas governor early in the process? It would make sense. Also, remember whom Sarah Palin endorsed: Angela McGlowan.

As for his November opponent, Rep. Travis Childers, I can go on and on with his donations but one thing that I noticed was a check from state Rep. Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto). Getting a donation from a state legislator is nothing out of the ordinary, but Moak is rumored to looking at the Speaker post in the near future. Childers is a strong ally with Speaker Billy McCoy, but if he retires, a donation from Moak ought to help his cause at winning over Childers who will be very influential should he win re-election this year. For his part, Moak has downplayed rumors and says he is raising money for his re-election campaign and that of candidates he supports.

In the Fourth District, Steven Palazzo wasn’t nearly as blessed as Nunnelee to pick up money from national heavy hitters. State Rep. Gary Chism (R-Columbus) also sent money Palazzo’s way, as did fellow state rep’s including Phillip Gunn (R-Clinton) and Dannie Reed (R-Ackerman). Reed’s donation came in through his PAC- Committee to Elect Dannie Reed. Reed, as we have mentioned, is running for the open Ag Commish office. Barbour also donated to Palazzo