Mark Udall Campaign Drunken Sailor Spending Strategy May Be Cause for Regret

For two straight quarters, the Mark Udall campaign reports that it's spending like a drunken sailor:

Schaffer campaign manager Dick Wadhams argued, however, that Udall is burning through money at an unsustainable rate, noting he spent almost $300,000 more than he raised from April through June. The $2 million cash-on-hand advantage the Democrat held over the former Fort Collins congressman in April has been cut almost in half by Schaffer, he said.

"The only thing that matters from here to the election is how much money you have in the bank, how many more bullets you have left to shoot," Wadhams said. "Even though he had a very good fundraising quarter, when you spend $2.3 million, it negates everything."

Back in April, we speculated about where the money was going:

Patent leather office chairs or golden bathroom fixtures at campaign headquarters? Solar-powered Blackberries? Or maybe it's being wasted on high-paid online staffers? Udall's friend Governor Bill Ritter probably wishes some of that money could be shared to cover his outstanding campaign debts.

This time some of the money was spent on buying television ads - which along with 527 smear ads, has helped to forge a small advantage for Mark Udall. But this rapid depletion of funds - combined with Bob Schaffer's more cost-effective strategy - may later be a source of regret for the Boulder liberal.

After all, there are more painful debate experiences to come.

Mark Udall Campaign Bleeding Cash

Boulder liberal Rep. Mark Udall raised $1.45 million in the last quarter. We all know that. But it's kind of surprising that the Dead Governors fell asleep at the wheel on the real story: Udall spent $831,000 from October through December.

If the Mark Udall camp is performing a media buy, we haven't seen it. So where is all that money going? Patent leather office chairs or golden bathroom fixtures at campaign headquarters? Solar-powered Blackberries? Or maybe it's being wasted on high-paid online staffers? Udall's friend Governor Bill Ritter probably wishes some of that money could be shared to cover his outstanding campaign debts.

Meanwhile, Republican Bob Schaffer raised $1.02 million but spent only $366,000 during the same period. As a result, he actually gained against Udall in cash on hand. In a press release sent out from the Schaffer campaign, Dick Wadhams said, "We are well on our way to bringing in the resources necessary to beat Boulder Liberal Mark Udall and his out-of-state liberal elitist donors this fall."

Fundraising is only part of the equation - how wisely and efficiently money is spent in support of an effective campaign plan also matters greatly.

And Mark Udall spends his campaign money almost as extravagantly as he spends taxpayer money on favors to campaign contributors.