Rohrabacher leads money race
Paul Clinton
NEWPORT-MESA -- Gerrie Schipske may be a woman of many talents -- a
nurse, lawyer and Cal State Long Beach teacher -- but she’ll need a near
miracle to unseat Rep. Dana Rohrabacher.
Schipske, a Democrat, is taking on Rohrabacher, who represents Costa
Mesa, in the race for the newly aligned 46th District. And she’s trailing
in the money fight thus far, according to the latest campaign finance
statements.
For the period ending last year, Schipske counted only $2,244 in her
war chest. She raised $19,993 in 2001 but spent $21,909.
Not known as a prolific fund-raiser, Rohrabacher brought in $65,010 in
contributions against $50,940 in expenses. The congressman’s treasury has
$121,557.
“Wide gaps in the amount of campaign contributions are what you always
find in a district that is heavily weighted to one party or the other,”
Rohrabacher said about his 3-to-1 fund-raising edge. “This is a totally
different district that she is running in. . . . My responsibility is not
blowing smoke in people’s faces and just going out there and telling them
where I stand.”
Schipske came within 1% of defeating Republican Rep. Steve Horn in the
2000 campaign for Horn’s Long Beach seat. During that race, she raised
$860,000, she said. However, she’s now running in a much more
conservative district, after redistricting wiped out Horn’s seat.
“It’s going to be a hard campaign, but we’re doing a grass-roots
campaign, and we’re reaching out to everyone,” Schipske said. “We think
we can do it.”
Rep. Chris Cox, who is facing two Republican challengers, is also
leading handily in the money race. Cox is sporting a formidable $661,250
war chest. Television producer Dave Forman and businessman David Cobert
haven’t raised the $5,000 required for a filing.
Cox, who represents Newport Beach, hauled in $167,772 last year
against $53,341 in expenditures. Cox said he will donate much of his cash
to the National Republican Congressional Committee for other party
candidates.
Cox added he isn’t taking his challengers, including UC Irvine
professor and Democrat John Graham, for granted. Cox said he is confident
voters will respond to his work record and experience.
“I’m going to work very hard,” Cox said. “That’s the best way to
approach it. . . . Good policy is good politics.”
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