Raimondo donates $450,000 to campaign

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By ERIC OLSON / The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. — Tony Raimondo has contributed $450,000 to his own U.S. Senate campaign, meaning his chief opponent in the Democratic primary is now allowed to accept larger amounts of money from individual donors under the so-called “millionaire’s amendment.”

Scott Kleeb is eligible to take $6,900 from individuals, three times the $2,300 limit, under a federal law that took effect in the 2003-04 election cycle and is meant to level the playing field in big-money races.

Kleeb solicited increased contributions in an e-mail to supporters Sunday.

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This photo from Jan. 11, 2008 shows Columbus businessman Tony Raimondo speaking at a Democratic Party function in Omaha, Neb. (Nati Harnik)

This photo from Jan. 11, 2008 shows Columbus businessman Tony Raimondo speaking at a Democratic Party function in Omaha, Neb. (Nati Harnik)

“Can you help us out by doubling your contribution today?” Kleeb wrote. “Our opponent can’t compete with the enthusiasm we’re seeing across the state, but we need to increase our ad buy for the closing days of the campaign to keep pace with his TV spending.”

Earlier in the day Kleeb spokesman Joe Zepecki said he didn’t know whether the campaign would muster many large individual donations, even with the millionaire’s amendment. Zepecki noted that Kleeb’s campaign, which had raised $364,000 through April 23, has been built mostly on smaller contributions from some 1,500 individuals.

Raimondo had donated $300,000 of his own money to his campaign through the preprimary reporting period that ended April 23, according to Federal Election Commission filings. On Thursday he contributed an additional $150,000, triggering the millionaire’s amendment.

Under the law, once a self-financed candidate’s spending hits certain levels, a rival relying on fundraising can collect increasingly higher amounts from donors to catch up.

The rule — laden with conditions and sliding scales that vary state by state — is one of the most complex in the campaign finance law.

Individual donors account for about $102,000 of Raimondo’s campaign funding, giving him a total of $552,000.

Raimondo spokesman Eric Fought said fundraising his picked up in recent weeks.

“We expected with the late start of our campaign that it would take a while for folks to catch on to Tony’s story,” Fought said. “We’re at a point now where people are really aware of him and tuned in and like his message of change and experience and are excited about his candidacy.”

Kleeb, a Hastings College history teacher, and Raimondo, CEO of Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus, are the main contenders for the Democratic nomination. The winner of the May 13 primary will face Johanns or Pat Flynn of Schuyler in November.

Zepecki said the Kleeb campaign wasn’t surprised when Raimondo’s campaign gave notification Friday that the millionaire’s amendment had been triggered.

“He (Raimondo) can’t match the enthusiasm for Scott across the state,” Zepecki said. “It shows up in support from labor, activists, the whole grass roots thing. The only way he can compete is by going on TV, and that costs money.”

Fought said Raimondo’s commitment to serving Nebraskans in the Senate is illustrated by his personal financial investment in the campaign.

Raimondo said when he announced his candidacy that he would be willing to put up $500,000 of his own money.

“We’ll continue to have the resources we need to win the primary and be effective in the general election,” Fought said.

On the Net:

Raimondo campaign: http://www.raimondo2008.com

Scott Kleeb: http://www.scottkleeb.com