Bush, Iraq War Raise Money for Democrats
Democratic Party strategists have received the results of an in-depth survey by Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry's former presidential pollster, Mark S. Mellman, that attempts to explain why the party's donors are so energized, giving presidential candidates more than twice as much as the Republicans seeking the White House are getting.
The national survey of 1,200 "progressive donors" conducted over 10 days in March found that vigorous opposition to President Bush and the Iraq war is continuing to serve as a powerful driver for those who contribute.
It also found that online giving has served as a potent new source of funds that is changing the demographics of the party's donor pool -- adding younger and more impulsive givers to the mix.
"They've got different habits" than traditional donors, Mellman said. "The online folks tend to be more liberal, more secular, more ideological -- more liberal."
In fact, twice as many Democratic donors -- more than 40 percent -- identified themselves as "very liberal" when compared with a similar survey from 12 years earlier. And 80 percent who gave money online said they will urge Democrats in Congress to "stand up for their beliefs and take on President Bush."
Among the survey's other findings: A party once dominated by women now has financial support from an even number of men and women, and the party still has a sizeable group of donors -- many of them older -- willing to respond to appeals for money that arrive in the mail.
Though candidates appeal to Internet donors using messages that are different from the ones they use in direct-mail appeals, the survey suggests that the Democratic donor pool should continue to expect the contenders to try to spin donor outrage about the president and the war into campaign cash.
-- Matthew Mosk
DeFazio Won't Fight Sen. Smith
Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (Ore.) decided yesterday against a challenge to Sen. Gordon Smith (R), depriving Senate Democrats of their preferred candidate in what is expected to be a nationally targeted contest in 2008.
"I have concluded that I can best serve the people of this state by staying in the House," DeFazio said in a statement. The longtime House member had made no secret of the fact that he was not interested in raising the money necessary to defeat the well-financed Smith.
With DeFazio out, speculation will turn to Rep. Earl Blumenauer and State Treasurer Randall Edwards, both of whom have expressed interest in the race.
Smith was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and was reelected easily in 2002 over Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury (D).
-- Chris Cillizza
