Candidates receive funds from Congress
WASHINGTON — If William L. Owens is elected to Congress next week, he'll have plenty of thank-you notes to send to colleagues in the House.
Mr. Owens and, to a much lesser extent, Republican candidate Dierdre K. Scozzafava, have been showered in money from members of Congress as they seek to fill former Rep. John M. McHugh's seat.
Filings at the Federal Election Commission show that Mr. Owens, the Democrat, has received money from 28 House members, not including political action committees headed by lawmakers. Ms. Scozzafava collected money from eight.
Douglas L. Hoffman, the Conservative candidate, did not receive any, although a handful of conservative lawmakers have endorsed him in recent days and his fundraising has taken a boost from Sarah Palin's endorsement.
Mr. Owens reported raising $53,250 from Democratic lawmakers through Monday. Ms. Scozzafava raised $10,250 from Republicans.
The biggest contributors to Mr. Owens were House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Rep. Steve Israel, D-Long Island, each with $6,000 from their campaign accounts.
Other New York Democrats giving to Mr. Owens included Reps. Paul D. Tonko, D-Amsterdam, who gave $500; Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, who gave $1,000; Eliot Engel, D-Bronx, with $2,000; Nita M. Lowey, with $2,000; Michael A. Arcuri, D-Utica, with $1,000; Anthony M. Weiner, D-Brooklyn, with $2,000; and Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport, with $2,000.
The only New York Republican lawmaker listed among Ms. Scozzafava's contributors was Rep. Chris Lee, R-Corning, with $1,000. But she has been endorsed by Rep. Peter King, R-Long Island, the only other GOP House member from the state.
Reps. Candice Miller, R-Mich.; Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas; and John Shimkus, R-Ill., were her top contributors in the House, giving $2,000 each from their campaign accounts.
The figures reflect the efforts of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is helping coordinate Mr. Owens's campaign and appealing for contributions as it senses the contest is winnable. The committee has raised money through fundraisers in Washington as well as through mailings. On Tuesday, former Clinton administration adviser Paul Begala wrote to Democrats, asking for more than $500,000 before Election Day.
A spokesman for the DCCC, Shripal Shah, said in a statement, "Our members recognize that Bill Owens has a proven record of helping create jobs and will work to turn the page on the Bush economic agenda. They are following the lead of local elected officials and the New York delegation."
Ms. Scozzafava's lagging numbers, as well, may illustrate the efforts of national Republican fundraising, which appear to have been hurt by her moderate-to-liberal stands on some issues important to the GOP's conservative base and the challenge from Mr. Hoffman.
"We are grateful for the support we've received and the tally we're focused on is the one that will be taken on Nov. 3," said Matthew Burns, a spokesman for Ms. Scozzafava. "With that said, does it come as any surprise that a $750,000-a-year lawyer is swimming in other peoples' money, including Nancy Pelosi's?"
