R.I. General Treasurer Seth Magaziner rushed out to an early, commanding lead in raising campaign money in the race for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District seat, according to federal finance reports filed in April.
Magaziner, a Democrat, had collected $1.4 million as of March 31, nearly triple the amount Republic frontrunner Allan W. Fung brought in during the same time period. The former Cranston mayor reported contributions totaling $501,654. He also loaned his campaign $50,000.
Meanwhile, Democrat Sarah Morgenthau reported $424,159 in contributions, most of which came from out-of-state sources, according to a national watchdog group that tracks campaign financing. In addition, she loaned the campaign $100,000.
Morgenthau was followed in the battle for contributions by Democrat David Segal ($251,669, plus $25,000 in his own loans), Democrat Joy E. Fox ($176,354), Republican Robert Lancia ($60,205, plus an $81,700 loan to himself) and Democrat Omar Bah ($9,624).
The candidates will close the books on the second quarter on June 30 and are required to file their next campaign finance reports with the U.S. Federal Election Commission on July 15.
But what has already become clear is that money from out-of-state sources is playing a significant role in the campaign to replace Democrat Rep. James R. Langevin when he steps down at the end of the year after 22 years in Congress.
A quarter of the money Magaziner has raised – $358,515 – has come from non-Rhode Island donors, according to watchdog group Open Secrets. For Fung, 23% of his donations – or $112,146 – originated from out of state, Open Secrets said.
Morgenthau and Segal have performed strongly beyond Rhode Island’s borders.
Morgenthau, a former deputy assistant secretary for the Travel & Tourism Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce, has had to address questions about her Rhode Island roots and whether the state is really her home.
Morgenthau has brought in $390,275 from out-of-state contributors, compared with $15,450 from those inside Rhode Island.
Segal, a former Providence City Council member and state legislator, has raised $228,449 outside of Rhode Island and $10,777 in the state.
John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, says congressional races have become “nationalized” over the last 40 years, and national issues take precedence over local issues. With that, he says, national fundraising for the local candidates, especially when the balance of power in the House is at stake, will become a major emphasis through November.
Marion feels voters “probably don’t pay close enough attention” to where candidates receive their campaign contributions from, and the issue doesn’t tip the scales with constituents. However, he says the matter of candidates raising more money from out-of-state donors can become an issue in creating narratives about those candidates’ campaigns.
Yet, having a national network can boost a campaign. Marion cites former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo as “shattering all contemporary records” in Rhode Island for raising money for her gubernatorial campaigns. He says Raimondo – now the U.S. commerce secretary – had a “big national network” that had significant out-of-state money fueling her two successful pushes for the governor’s office in 2014 and 2018.
“The big narrative about [Raimondo] was her fundraising prowess and fundraising network,” Marion said. “It didn’t seem to cost her politically.”
How is the money in the 2nd Congressional District race being spent?
As of March 31, not much had gone to advertising.
[caption id="attachment_409900" align="alignnone" width="240"]
BRANCHING OUT: Robert Lancia takes
the mic during an appearance at Mar A
Lago in Florida.
COURTESY ROBERT LANCIA[/caption]
Lancia was the top spender as of the first quarter of 2022. He reported expenditures of $100,638, much of which took place last year in the form of campaign consulting fees, food and beverage expenses, and some advertising materials.
Magaziner reported expenditures of $98,451, mostly for the payroll of his campaign staff. Fung had spent $19,112 for processing fees related to donations, legal consulting fees, and facility rentals and catering for campaign events.
Meanwhile, Segal had spent $20,275, mostly on bank fees related to donations and some strategic consulting, while Morgenthau had spent $16,222, mostly for credit card processing fees on donations.
Fox recorded expenditures of $6,767, largely for fees related to donations. Bah didn’t note anything as of March 31.
