Capuano campaign raised $1.8 million in reporting period, $1.1 million on hand for final push.

The first campaign to report it's fundraising totals for the second reporting period of the special election season (Oct. 1-Nov. 18) is that of Congressman Mike Capuano.

Camp Capuano announced in a press release this evening that it has raised more than $1.8 million for the reporting period, and retains more than $1.1 million cash on hand.  The campaign reported spending more than $2 million since the campaign began.

In a statement Capuano said:

"I am energized by the growing number of people who are giving what they can to this campaign.  People are donating online, making small contributions and offering to host events in their communities. We are raising the funds necessary to win this election.

This growing financial support from Democrats and independents across the state is a great indicator of how well we are doing with those primary voters who are the most engaged. Among those serious voters who are following the race most closely, and who are most likely to come out on Election Day, we are seeing our support continue to grow."

Capuano's Massachusetts finance chair Kristin Demong added, “Donations large and small are coming in from all over the Commonwealth representing supporters from all walks of life. People are donating because they believe in Mike and they believe in his candidacy.  We are well positioned for victory as we head into the last few weeks of this Primary campaign.”

I will continue to post financial results from the campaigns as I receive them.

Pagliuca campaign says internal polling shows the Senate race is wide open.

Steve Pagliuca campaign manager Ryan Cotton said in an email to supporters today that internal polling numbers show that the Senate race is wide open.  I had heard reports from people (including my mother) that the Pags campaign was polling, but the numbers they are reporting are staggering.

In the email, Cotton wrote:

Over the last few days, our campaign has talked with over 40,000 people who are likely to vote in the Democratic Primary on December 8th, and the results show a wide open race that will be decided by you in these last few weeks. Nearly one-half (46%) of the people we spoke with say they have not made up their mind about who they will support. Of the people who say they are supporting a candidate, over one-third (37%) say they are open to changing their mind before the primary on December 8th.

If those numbers are valid, that is an astonishing (and costly) number of phone calls for a campaign to make.


Update: the Pagliuca campaign has confirmed they have communicated with more than 40,000 voters in the last couple of days.  

I believe that the undecided number is that high, but what about the number of voters willing to change their minds? Can this race still be swayed?

Scott Brown releases radio ads, uses his own JFK imagery.

Just one day after Alan Khazei invoked JFK's inaugural address in a new television commercial, Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown has used JFK's voice in a new radio ad.

The Brown spot draws a comparison between him and JFK on tax policy.  The script reads:

SCOTT BROWN:  “I’m Scott Brown running for the U.S. Senate. Forty five years ago, President Kennedy called for tax cuts for families and businesses. Listen to what he said.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY: Every dollar released from taxation that is spent or invested will help create a new job and a new salary. And these new jobs and new salaries can create other jobs and other salaries. 

SCOTT BROWN: I’m Scott Brown and I approve this message because I agree with President Kennedy that cutting taxes will create new jobs.”

(Listen here.)

The ad is one part of an initial wave of Brown radio advertising that also includes another spot called, "Blah, Blah."  The script for the second ad reads:

(Sound of the four Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate talking over one another) 

SCOTT BROWN:  “Enough already! I’m Scott Brown running for the United States Senate. My opponents all sound the same and they’ll all vote the same. And you know what that means: higher taxes at a time when none of us can afford it. I have a different view: let’s lower taxes and cut out wasteful spending. I’m Scott Brown and I approve this message because it’s time we got our country back on the right track.”

(Listen here.)

In an email to supporters, Brown has coupled the ads with a call for donations.  He is imploring supporters to "purchase" the radio ads they like the best, in order to keep them on the air.  The website notes that:

For a :30 second spot to run on a  Boston radio station in the overnight period is approx $50

For a :30 spot to run on a Boston radio station in the afternoon drive is $250

For a :30 spot to run on a Boston radio station in the morning drive is $500

 It will be interesting to see what Brown reports for donations later tonight or early tomorrow.

Mike Capuano releases legislative action agenda on the economy.

Earlier today, Congressman Mike Capuano issued a press release touting his legislative action agenda on the economy.  The release points to the fact that Capuano has a legislative record behind his campaign, not just "theoretical plans."

The Capuano campaign touted the following accomplishments in the release:

JOBS

--Capuano supported the stimulus package because, while it relied too heavily on tax cuts, he felt it would boost the economy overall.

--Fought to increase funds targeted towards job creation and advocated for maintaining the higher House funding level for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, which saved education and public service jobs at the state and municipal level.

--Camp Capuano claims the stimulus bill created and saved jobs by providing funding for transportation, health care, education, scientific research and housing projects.

--Wrote President Obama on November 16th, urging him to use remaining funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to create more jobs.

PROTECTING CONSUMERS

--Capuano worked in Congress to pass legislation which prohibits credit card rate increases on preexisting balances, requires sufficient notification of consumers before increasing rates, and prohibits charging interest on purchases that are already paid off.  Now working to make the bill go into effect immediately.

--He is developing legislation to cap interest rates on credit cards.

--Supports creating a federal agency with the sole mission of protecting consumers from deceptive and abusive financial products and services as part of the overall regulatory reform package.

--Caps has supported legislation to empower consumers to make their own choices on overdraft programs rather than letting banks force people into them. The bill would also limit overdraft fees so consumers aren’t unfairly slammed with multiple excessive fees.

HOUSING & FORECLOSURE

--Authored a tenant protection provision included in a new law to help reduce foreclosures by improving a federal program that helps struggling homeowners refinance and modify their loans.  The Capuano provision requires giving tenants 90 days notice before requiring them to vacate a foreclosed home.

--Worked to include in the stimulus bill an additional $2 billion for states and cities to buy and renovate foreclosed homes.

--Supports mortgage lending reform legislation. The bill would prohibit lending to borrowers who can’t repay and prohibit brokers from getting kickbacks for getting consumers into loans with excessively high rates.

REFORMING WALL STREET

--Has been fighting for changes to the financial system which will encourage more stability in the market and provide necessary oversight. Strong advocate of the following measures, which will be included in a broader reform package this year:

• Legislation to give shareholders a vote on the compensation packages of its executives. In a separate bill, he also supported allowing shareholders to nominate new boards of directors. 
• Filed legislation requiring hedge funds to register with regulators to improve federal oversight and provide more information to investors. 
• Key author of a bill to enhance the oversight of rating agencies, mitigate conflicts of interest, and impose a liability standard to strengthen their accountability.

As always, you can read more about Capuano's economic plan on his website.

Pagliuca releases new campaign ad on health care.

Democratic Senate candidate Steve Pagliuca released a new campaign ad on health care yesterday.  The ad, "60th Vote," features Pags speaking to the camera from the front seat of his car, presumably as he travels between campaign stops.

Pags tells the camera that, while traveling across Massachusetts in this campaign, he has learned that "there are a number of things we need to fix."  He then locks in on health care, mentioning his experience, Washington gridlock, and Senator Kennedy's dream.

The visuals catch the eye - from the headlines ("We must pass healthcare" and "Steve Pagliuca can help"), to the shots of Pagliuca in the car and meeting with voters in a diner.



Note that the final screen shot now includes a "Vote December 8" tag.  Probably long overdue, but it's good to finally see a TV spot trying to raise awareness about election day.

This is easily one of my favorite ads of the campaign so far.

The Globe's Frank Phillips reported on the ad this morning, and has reaction from the Capuano and Coakley campaigns.

Updated: Pags and the beanstalk, plus notes for new readers.

Yesterday's piece on WBUR drove a number of new readers to this blog, and I received a slew of emails on a couple of different topics I want to address.

1) Several people ripped me for displaying Steve Pagliuca ads on the site.  First, I have offered all of the campaigns the opportunity to advertise.  Second, not even the Pagliuca campaign has taken me up on the offer.  The ads you see on this site are driven by the Google ad network.  I have no control over who can advertise or how often (do you think I would willingly display ads hawking New York Yankees World Series memorabilia?).

2) One new reader, who happens to be a freelance writer/editor, wrote to let me know about a dangling modifier in yesterday's morning roundup - one that was so bad it made him laugh out loud and wonder if anyone was editing my blog.  It should be obvious that I don't have an editor.  What may be less obvious is that I try to write the morning roundup between 5:30 and 6:30 each morning (even if it posts later in the day), before I have more than a few sips of coffee in me.  In any case, I am not going to fix yesterday's grammatical mistake, even if my editor friend notes that "it's pretty much the mark of a poor writer."  I just wanted to let you all know that Curt Nickisch is not actually dead.

3) Other readers have questioned whether this site is supposed to be satirical, like The Onion.  One commenter on the WBUR article was apparently offended by my Paul Cellucci-looks-like-Robert De Niro joke from Monday.  Are there elements of satire here? Yes, see my Capuano-Yankees conspiracy post.  Can you also find plenty of actual news here? Absolutely.  Is there a reason I can't try to blend politics and humor? I sure hope not. Was my Cellucci joke meant to offend? Of course not. I have met the former Governor on multiple occasions. He looks like Robert De Niro. It's a fact.

On to the morning roundup:

--First and foremost, as the Globe reminds readers: today is the LAST DAY TO REGISTER to vote in the December 8 primary.  If you have not already done so, please head to your city or town hall today and make sure you are on the voter list.

--The Globe's candidate series continues today, with Jenna Russell's piece on Alan Khazei.  The lengthy profile touches on Khazei's school years, the founding of City Year, his work on the Gary Hart campaign, and the effort to save AmeriCorps funding in 2003.  Notable/new facts, Khazei is a Star Trek fan who planned a 24-hour dance marathon at Harvard in the early 1980's.  If only that was on YouTube.

--Matt Viser reports on yesterday's environmental forum at Boston University.  Viser notes that Coakley and Pagliuca both mentioned that they have compost pits in their backyards, with Pagliuca telling the audience there is a beanstalk growing out of his.  Given how much the Herald has been on Pags's case this week, I fully expect an investigative report on whether or not he stole any golden eggs from a giant.

One other notable moment from the BU forum included in Viser's piece: Martha Coakley was the only candidate to say that nuclear power "must be on the table," in energy discussions.  BU Today also has coverage of the event.

--Speaking of political humor, Scott Lehigh has a bit of fun with Mike Capuano in his column today.

--I missed this yesterday, but Globe business columnist Steve Syre framed Pagliuca's plan for financial reform in the context of the economic meltdown.  Syre notes a) that Pags has this issue down cold, and b) it's not as black and white as he's trying to make it appear in his ads.

--Finally, Women for Coakley offer detailed excerpts from the introductory speech at last night's Coakley fundraiser by former Massachusetts Lt. Governor Evelyn Murphy.  WFC also shared some interesting tidbits from the AG's speech:

1. She has agreed to debates on December 1 and December 2.
2. The campaign says they haven't yet reached their fundraising target for this reporting period (which ends today).  No word on what that goal was. 

Update: I meant to add this earlier, but for some reason had trouble finding the link. The Globe's Alex Beam took a look at the various campaign social media efforts to see what was working.

Back in a bit.