Candidates for Congress raising funds in Washington

WASHINGTON — During John M. McHugh's 16 years in Congress, one of his Democratic critics' favorite charges was that he lined his campaign pockets mostly with money from outside his congressional district.

But the Republican and Democrat seeking to replace him are putting that record to shame — and they're not even in office yet.

Both Dierdre K. Scozzafava, the Republican, and William L. Owens, the Democrat, came to Capitol Hill this week for fundraisers organized by their national parties as the race heats up and Democrats sense the traditionally GOP seat is within reach.

Mr. Owens's event was Thursday night at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where lawmakers and others in crisp, dark suits braved a 40-degree rain to file into a Capitol Hill rowhouse at the invitation of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders. Ticket prices ranged from $5,000 for political action committee hosts to $250 for "individual friends."

Mr. Owens, fighting a cough from a cold he has been nursing, sported a suit but no overcoat as he made his way toward the house, followed by a handful of lawmakers from New York and other states who trickled in.

Suggested contributions ranged from $250 to $2,500 for a House GOP fundraiser for Ms. Scozzafava on Wednesday night, as reports come out that she is losing financial steam to Mr. Owens and the Conservative candidate, Douglas L. Hoffman, although official campaign finance numbers will not be available until next week.

That the north country candidates would step away from the campaign trail to seek money from inside-the-Beltway sources reflects the demands of a close election, as well as the risks of appearing tied to outside interests. Indeed, Ms. Scozzafava's campaign mocked Mr. Owens's fundraising, even as she was making her way to Washington to restock her campaign larder.

Her campaign spokesman, Matthew A. Burns, said in a statement Wednesday that Mr. Owens is "more comfortable attending big-dollar fundraisers than he is discussing the issues with the hard-working people he hopes to represent."

In both cases, the campaigns are relying on sources that are not necessarily in tune with their own or Northern New York politics. The Republicans have sought to connect Mr. Owens with Mrs. Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership at every chance, tagging them as far more liberal than the north country electorate; but Ms. Scozzafava's politics are well to the left of the conservative House GOP leadership.

House Minority Leader Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, is supporting her and promised her a slot on the House Armed Services Committee, but the chairman of the House GOP conference, Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., is not supporting her. And the rift in the party is being blamed for her trouble raising money.

Mr. Owens, for his part, said in an interview Thursday on Capitol Hill that although the DCCC is supporting him — a DCCC spokesman joined him for the interview as well — that he is "running a local campaign" based on north country issues and that if elected, he will be faithful to north country priorities.

Mr. Hoffman has the support of the Club for Growth, the conservative Washington organization, which has reportedly given his campaign $250,000.

More fundraisers are coming, the biggest for Mr. Owens being an event with President Obama on Tuesday.

The campaigns' next wave of financial disclosure reports are due at the Federal Election Commission on Thursday.