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King to start fundraising soon amid reports showing high burn-rate
State Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction — who lacks a primary election and general election opponent — said he plans to start raising funds soon both to aid his goals this election cycle and for his future plans to advocate for “progressive change in this state.”
“There is going to be fundraising,” King told Political Notebook today. “I think it would be foolish to not have fund available in order to be able to do some things politically.”
“As expensive as it is to run campaigns, I think not doing fundraising for the future is foolish,” he added.
King’s promise amid public reports that show he has burned through his campaign funds faster than he can collect contributions between Jan. 1 and mid-July.
During the first two weeks of July, King accepted $400 worth of contributions and spent $456, including $199 on fuel and $73.50 on dry cleaning expenses.
And, during the reporting covering May 27 to July 2, King reported accepting in $600 and spending more than $1,000.
Included in King’s recent campaign expenses is a T-shirt from his alma mater, Mesa State College:
Between Jan. 1 and April 25, King took in $4,366 and spent $5,082, including a $250 returned contribution. And between April 26 and May 26, King took in $540 and spent $1,213.
*King photo shot by Political Notebook.
Comments
By Bruce
July 22, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Rep. King seems to be using his supporters’ money to buy souvenirs and do his dry cleaning while spending more than he brings in.
Is this what passes for fiscal conservatism nowadays?
By Gilbert Gnarley
July 23, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
So what if Steve King uses the money our community donates to him to purchase perfume and T-shirts?
Shouldn’t the Representative look and smell good for the guys at Mesa State? His reimbursement of the money he took to buy the perfume shows that the label of just another “borrow and spend” Republican will not stick. And with the exception of money, a public official should definitely not have to do his own laundry. Why do you think we donate?
King has done just what the 54 citizens expected from him. He would certainly have it backwards, when in his first term, if he did anything for the citizens of 54 other than kissing hands and shaking babies.