Snowe raises $3.2 million; challengers lag behind
by Gina Hamilton
Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, is financially outpacing her Republican and Democratic challengers, according to her recently released campaign finance report.
Snowe had more than $3.2 million on hand as of Sept. 30, according to the report filed with the Federal Election Commission. During the third quarter of 2011, Snowe's campaign raised $792,305 and spent $320,716, the report said.
Snowe is seeking her fourth term in the Senate, but unlike in previous years, the moderate is facing challenges from both Democrats and within her own party.
Scott D'Amboise, one of two tea party-affiliated GOP challengers, raised "'six figures," but will not have his third-quarter total until later this week, said Tyler Harber, a D'Amboise campaign consultant.
As of June 30, D'Amboise's campaign had collected less than $142,000 and had just over $111,000 on hand, according to his campaign finance report.
In 2006, D'Amboise, from Lisbon, ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud.
In addition to D'Amboise, Andrew Ian Dodge, a freelance writer from Harpswell, has said he will run in the GOP primary. Dodge didn't raise enough money to require the filing of a campaign report during the first half of the year.
Two Maine Democrats, state Rep. Jon Hinck of Portland and former Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap of Old Town, are contemplating challenging Snowe, setting up a potential Democratic primary in 2012. However, neither has declared, and no funds have been raised.
In 2006, Snowe ran unopposed in the primary, and won in a landslide against Democrat Jean Hay Bright in the general election. She had raised less that year than she has raised so far in this election cycle.
Snowe has the backing of OneMaine, a centrist political action committee headed by Eliot Cutler, who ran a close second in the campaign for governor in 2010.
