| It is so much harder to write on the road. I am back now until YearlyKos, and a story had to be told.
Francisco Canseco – a Republican running against Ciro Rodriguez in TX-23 – claimed that he raised an astounding $550,000 in the second quarter. To have that much support in a 55% Democratic district is impressive. So impressive a reporter from the Dallas Morning News even wrote a piece on Canseco’s early success.
San Antonio lawyer Francisco "Quico" Canseco says he's raised more than $550,000. That would make him one of the country's best-financed GOP challengers, and others may join the race.
What Canseco failed to mentioned was that all but $30,400 came from his own bank account. Talk about grassroots support! To put that in perspective, Dan Grant and Larry Joe Dougherty have both raised over $70,000 each in the Texas 10th congressional district!
The reporter, understandably pissed, wrote a second article blasting Canseco for his misleading press release which read, “Fundraising will not be a problem for Canseco, due mainly to the supporters who have rallied around his campaign.”
…a federal campaign report filed Monday showed that nearly all of that money came from Mr. Canseco himself, bringing the amount he has lent his campaign to $1.03 million.
Just 22 other donors have pitched in, yielding $30,400 – a far cry from the boast the Republican's aides issued last week, which read: "Fundraising will not be a problem for Canseco, due mainly to the supporters who have rallied around his campaign."
The Canseco campaign has spent more than a quarter-million, but thanks to the candidate's largess, it has more than $315,000 in the bank. By contrast, Mr. Rodriguez raised nearly $250,000 in the last three months, putting his total for the campaign above $1.06 million. He owes just $2,139 and has about $550,000 in cash.
Typically we appreciate our candidates and elected officials to be honest and avoid deceiving voters. That whole ethical government thing seems to be good. Instead Canseco has already proven he wants to, at best, mislead voters and, at worst, straight up lie to them. That should make the decision come next November pretty easy. |
