Some
good news this week for Francine Busby:
Democrat Francine Busby is outraising Republican Brian Bilbray in the high-spending California race to replace disgraced ex-Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham in Congress, campaign finance reports filed Thursday show.
Busby had raised $2.25 million as of May 17, including $755,139 in the most recent fundraising period. She ended the reporting period with about $185,000 in cash on-hand to take her through the June 6 election.
Bilbray had raised just over $1 million in his bid for the San Diego area seat, including $630,055 in the most recent period. He ended up with just over $100,000 on-hand.
However, where Busby beats Bilbray in personal fundraising, Bilbray is enjoying more support from his national campaign committee. In just about one month, (from April 11 to May 13), the NRCC has poured $1.6 million into campaign ads for Bilbray. That's three times as much as the DCCC has spent on Busby's campaign in the same period. A lot of the money is used on radio and TV ads attacking Busby as being too liberal for the solidly Republican district.
And the race is so hot, Vice-President Cheney was forced to fly out to California and stump and fundraise for Bilbray this week.
A May 10th SurveyUSA today poll puts Bilbray and Busby in a dead heat, 45% to 45%. An internal poll from the Busby campaign conducted May 17th shows Busby with a 7-point lead. Republicans, who are used to enjoying easy victories in CA-50, now say that the race is "way too close for comfort."
Busby has centered on a clean government platform (indeed, she says Jefferson should resign from Congress). Bilbray, on the other hand, has focused intensely on immigration. His position on immigration is to the right of Lou Dobbs, and it's unclear if and how his extreme position on immigration will appeal to some of the more moderate conservatives in the district.
What is crystal clear now is what we knew all along about CA-50: with the election just ten days away, this race will be won or lost on turnout. Turnout in April was not all that promising. But on June 6th, more Democrats may vote because of the primary race between Westly and Angelides. Or, a lot of frustrated Republicans may decide to sit this one out. Busby will need at least one of those things to happen in order to win.
Ten days. Let's give it one final push.