Fundraising Keeps Race Daunting for Bob Schaffer, Raises Questions for Mark Udall

Bob Schaffer has a steep uphill climb in the last few weeks of Colorado's U.S. Senate race. There's a lot working against him. And the third quarter fundraising numbers don't make it much easier:

Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall posted his best fundraising quarter of the campaign, raising $2.7 million through Sept. 30, about $800,000 more than his Republican rival, Bob Schaffer.

Schaffer collected $1.9 million in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, his campaign reported. That brings to $6.6 million the total the former congressman has raised.

Interestingly, though, the Denver Post also reports that Bob Schaffer has $2.7 million on hand, compared to $545,000 for Mark Udall. Schaffer needs to deploy that cash advantage strategically and aggressively to give his campaign any shot at pulling out victory on November 4.

Oh, and Politicker notes that "Udall's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for documentation of their third-quarter numbers." And the reports from both campaigns are not yet posted up on the FEC disclosure site, either.

In the meantime, a few questions for review:

• Will there be any contributions for Mark Udall from Jodie Evans or far-Left Hollywood celebrities?
• Did Udall visit retired sweatshop owner Susie Tompkins-Buell for more money on his latest swing to California?
• Did tax cheat Charlie Rangel's PAC add more to the $12,000 Udall's Senate campaign has already received?

If for no other reason, it will be good to have answers to these questions for posterity. The FEC reports will shed the needed light.

Mark Udall Says Tax Cheat Rangel Should Step Down, But Keeps Rangel PAC Money

From this morning's Meet the Press debate with Bob Schaffer, Mark Udall gave a tepid call for admitted tax cheat and fellow Democrat Charlie Rangel to step down from his committee chairmanship:

"I think it would be helpful if Charles Rangel steps down," Udall said of the New York congressman, who is being investigated for failure to pay taxes on a condominium he owns in the Dominican Republic even as he presides over the House's main tax policy committee.

Made almost as an aside, the comment may create problems for Udall after he said last week that he wasn't going to return a $12,000 contribution from Rangel's PAC to his campaign. [emphasis added]

You don't say? Mark Udall doesn't seem terribly interested in returning Rangel's money, or the money raised from retired sweatshop owner Susie Tompkins-Buell.

And inquiring minds want to know if Mark Udall took money from terrorist coddler Jodie Evans at this weekend's Hollywood fundraiser. Someone needs to ask the tough questions.

Will Mark Udall Take a Donation from Terrorist Sympathizer Jodie Evans?

We have confirmed that Jodie Evans of Code Pink fame did not endorse the slogan "We Support the Murder of American Troops" - as plausible as that may sound.

Why does it sound plausible, you say? Because she announced public support for terrorist groups in Iraq, professed sympathy for 9/11 terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, and gave personal embrace to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. Most recently, she led a delegation to personally kowtow to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, leader of the repressive anti-American Iranian regime. (H/T Campaign Spot)

So what does it say if Mark Udall accepts a Jodie Evans donation at this weekend's Hollywood fundraiser? Or will Udall have the courage to say "Thanks, but no thanks"?

Another Far-Left Hollywood Fundraiser for Mark Udall Raises More Questions

Update: Edited to remove unfounded section originally quoted but later removed from Townhall article.

Townhall columnist Scott Bensing clues readers into a big Hollywood fundraiser this weekend for Mark Udall and some of his Democratic Senate candidate buddies. Of course, the usual out-of-touch, vapid Hollywood Lefties will be there to bolster the Udall campaign.

But Bensing also points out:

Most upsetting of the event attendees is Jodie Evans. Is she a movie star? No. A Hollywood power-player? No. Evans is a hero to the liberals of Hollywood because she is a representative of the dominant wing of the Democrat party – she is the co-founder of Code Pink.

If Reps. Allen, [Mark] Udall and [cousin Tom] Udall along with Kay Hagan, Jeff Merkley, Al Franken, Jeanne Shaheen and Mark Begich don’t agree with these views, why would they take such generous donations?...

Good question. Mark Udall really isn't trying to distance himself from the theme of this Freedom's Watch ad, is he.

But here are a couple other relevant questions: First, is this Hollywood fundraiser going to outshine Mark Udall's San Francisco fundraising event hosted by retired sweatshop owner Susie Tompkins-Buell?



And, maybe more importantly, will Barbra Streisand be there?