Vermont’s three members of Congress continued to amass multimillion-dollar campaign war chests in 2017, according to new reports submitted this week to the Federal Election Commission.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) accumulated a whopping $6.17 million, his year-end report shows. That’s for Sanders’ as-yet-undeclared 2018 senatorial campaign, which is where he’s been funneling all his political donations. He can, of course, transfer that money to a presidential campaign organization, should he choose to seek the Democratic nomination in 2020.
During the fourth quarter of 2017, Sanders raised almost $693,000 (virtually all from small individual donors) and spent $379,000. Those are fairly astounding figures, but they pale in comparison to the inflow and outflow earlier in the year. During the second quarter, for instance, his campaign raised $1.3 million. The bottom line: Sanders has an unmatched ability to raise seemingly limitless funds without reliance on political action committees or generous oligarchs.
And between his bank account and his home-state popularity, it’s hard to imagine a serious Republican challenge to his bid for reelection. Assuming, of course, that there is such a bid. Sanders himself resolutely turns away any question about his 2018 plans, though his former campaign manager and chief of staff hints there will be.
“He has not made an announcement, but I think there’s an anticipation that he will run for reelection,” Jeff Weaver said in a recent interview.
Weaver, who managed Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, is among those benefiting from the senator’s largesse. Starting last August, he has been paid nearly $16,000 a month for his services.
“I’m doing general political work for the senator,” he explained. “I’m also helping to set up the structure of the 2018 campaign.” Weaver said he does not anticipate actually managing Sanders’ reelection bid.
Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) continues to be on financial cruise control. Once again in the fourth quarter, he raised (by congressional standards) a modest amount and spent even less. He’s doing as he’s done for a while: maintaining a $2 million campaign fund that he never has to seriously deplete.
And, as usual, virtually all the money comes from political action committees. Welch raised $96,000 in the period, including $89,000 from PACs. The biggest bucks came from industries with interests in the committees Welch serves on: health care and communications. Perhaps the most ironic donor, for a congressman representing a state with a strong environmental reputation, was the United Mine Workers of America PAC, which gave Welch $2,500.
The congressman raised another $37,500 — entirely from special-interest groups — through his leadership committee, called Maple PAC, during the second half of the year, FEC reports show. That entity had nearly $53,000 in its coffers at the close of the year.
Welch argues that he keeps a hefty bankroll as, basically, insurance. “At the drop of a dime, there can be serious money flooding into any congressional district in the country,” he said during a visit to the Vermont Statehouse on Thursday morning.
That’s true, but in a year when conservatives face a potential Democratic tsunami across the nation, it’s hard to imagine a big-money super PAC suddenly deciding to take aim at a popular Democrat in a deep-blue state. And Welch hasn’t faced a serious Republican challenge since he ran against Martha Rainville for an open seat in 2006.
Sen. Patrick Leahy’s (D-Vt.) campaign committee, meanwhile, raised a paltry $24,000 in the fourth quarter while spending $84,000. That’s been the pattern throughout the year: raising very little and spending a bit more, gradually deflating his campaign fund. Leahy was just reelected in 2016 and his term won’t expire until 2023.
“This is just how things go in the first year of a new cycle,” explained longtime Leahy campaign manager Carolyn Dwyer.
While the senator’s reelection committee has been somewhat dormant, his leadership PAC has been somewhat more active. Leahy’s Green Mountain PAC raised nearly $208,000 in the second half of the year, according to its FEC report, and spent nearly $204,000.
Despite the slow pace, Leahy still has $1.7 million in his campaign account and $68,000 in his PAC account. If he does plan to run for yet another term, he’ll have to fire up the engines sooner or later. But according to Dwyer, his low-key fundraising implies nothing about his future plans.
Paul Heintz contributed reporting.
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There are plenty of reasons to not like Bernie. You have failed to explain how this issue is one of them.
“when Bernie wants to take “money” out of politics he is speaking about something different than you are in your criticism of him.”
No, you’re just excusifying his supreme hypocrisy. I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree about the true character of Bernie “The Great And Infallible God” Sanders.
If Bernie runs for president, he should use “Enter Sandman” by Metallica as his campaign theme song. That’d be pretty bitchin’.
He’d come on stage, do a little air guitar, complain about billionaires but not millionaires (he’s sensitive about saying the “M” word since he became one).
Jane could be the Yoko or Linda McCartney and play air tambourine off to the side. Assuming she’s not in jail.
I don’t disagree with you. Campaign spending should be capped. However, when Bernie wants to take “money” out of politics he is speaking about something different than you are in your criticism of him.
You’re all missing the point. Whether Bernies $6 million comes from a lot of $27 donations or a single $6 million donation, (the 6 mils didn’t come from $27. donations) ..This socialist nutcase just wants money.He’ll lie steal whatever it takes to get a big money chest. Do you really think he cares about anyone but himself and his bank fraud wife?? Did he return the donations to the supporters who supposedly only gave $27.00, when he sold out, hell no.. he kept the money, he was getting money from out of staters and the super PACs.Money should only come from Vermont residents. There should be a cap on how much they can get. Remember when ole Bernie, wife, all his step-kids, and friends chartered a plane and went to see the Pope for 5 mins..Seven Days reported it and even showed the menu of the food that was served on the plane. Who do you think paid for this trip and the stay in Rome? wasn’t Bernie… The supporters!!! Going to Rome had nothing to do with the election, it had to do with taking a trip on someone else’s dime.. Think about it!!!! Bernie and his wife are very good about taking someone else’s money and using it for their own gain.. The Sanders are USERS.!!!
I honestly hope Bernie “if you’re white you don’t know what it’s like to be poor” Sanders is foolish enough to run for President again.
“Whether Bernies $6 million comes from a lot of $27 donations or a single $6 million donation… Really? You don’t see the difference between the two?”
You are intentionally avoiding the issue and you know it. Why do you keep avoiding the question? Why does Bernie Sanders need to amass an obscene $6 million (and counting) to coast to reelection in the smallest state in the country? Who’s his opponent? Will he even have an opponent? What chance in hell does that opponent have even if Bernie didn’t have a dime to spend? Why? Why? Why? You refuse to answer.
Because he’s a hypocrite, that’s why.
According to Bernie, and apparently to you also, money in politics is terrible! . . . Um, except for Bernie.
I’m against all money in politics, whether it’s Bernie’s obscene $6 million, or somebody else’s.