Thanks to various helpful sources, including the infamous gremlins from the Kremlin, we now have some pretty full data as to which incumbent House Democrats stepped up to the plate in 2005-06 to give their money and time towards electing the new Democratic majority.
First off, the FEC report linked here shows all transfers from candidate accounts to the DCCC from October 19 through November 26. The DCCC was then able to use this money to make a ton of independent expenditures (ads) for candidates down the stretch, helping us win tight races -- including ~900K directed towards Ciro Rodriguez's victory last night.
Many of these late transfers (totaling ~$3M) were in direct response to the "Use It Or Lose It" campaign, and everyone here who took the time to make the phone calls should be commended -- in addition, of course, to the candidates themselves.
But thanks to the gremlins, we've got even more data. This extensive chart linked here details not only the amounts these candidates gave from their own coffers, but also the amount that they took the time (including much travel) to raise from others around the country to help our candidates.
(Quick glossary: DCCC dues are assessed based on leadership positions, committee assignments and other factors, and those two columns are "dues assessed" and "dues paid"; the "red to blue" column reflects contributions to and fundraising for the priority challengers, announced in four waves during the year; "frontline" candidates were endangered incumbents; "COH minus" is the raw calculation of cash on hand minus funds given or raised; the ones in black are the ones who were on the miserly side.)
From that list, here's your top ten heroes, those who raised and gave the most to the DCCC and for their fellow Democrats in 2005-06:
Nancy Pelosi (raised/gave $59,400,143)
Rahm Emanuel ($42,200,158)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz ($14,923,765)
Chris Van Hollen ($13,997,311)
Joe Crowley ($7,799,144)
Steny Hoyer ($7,441,619)
Mike Thompson ($5,453,005)
John Murtha ($4,514,249)
Jan Schakowsky ($3,516,160)
George Miller ($3,320,050)
Pelosi, Emanuel, Hoyer and Murtha should not surprise anyone. Wasserman Schultz and Van Hollen were in charge of the Red to Blue program; Crowley is the whip of the New Democrats caucus and, like Schakowsky, a Chief Deputy Whip; Mike Thompson headed the Frontline program; and Miller is chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee.
And here, on the other hand, are the Misers of the Party, those incumbent House Democrats who sat on the largest cash-on-hand piles (as of 9/30/06), did not contribute to or fundraise for others in need, and had no reason (which I can discern) to need the money themselves in 2006 (i.e., Ben Cardin, Bernie Sanders and Harold Ford Jr. don't count):
Marty Meehan (MA)
Frank Pallone (NJ)
Robert Andrews (NJ)
Lloyd Doggett (TX)
Steve Rothman (NJ)
Bill Delahunt (MA)
Jerry Costello (IL)
Bud Cramer (AL)
Tom Lantos (CA)
Richard Neal (MA)
Jesse Jackson Jr (IL)
The Bay and Garden Staters who dominate that list may be saving for 2008 Senate runs, but should those opportunities arise, many here will remember their relative stinginess in 2006. Still, don't jump to any conclusions about anyone just based on the raw numbers -- do a little research about their 2006 races first.