I just cannot understand these guys. They just don't know to message and frame issues into their favor. Take today's financial disclosures where the Bolling team has plastered Facebook and their own website with links to the articles that show they have raised more money than Cuccinelli in dollars. That is something to be proud of.
The problem is they didn't just leave it there. They posted the entire article on their website that includes this:
Cuccinelli's campaign highlighted what it termed strong grass-roots support in the commonwealth, noting that of the 3,770 contributors, 3,286 were individual contributions of less than $100.
THIS article sheds even more light onto the numbers:
Bolling had 414 contributors donating more than $100 and 331 who gave $100 or less, according to campaign finance reports filed by this week’s deadline. Cuccinelli, by contrast, had 439 donors who contributed more than $100 and a whopping 3,191 who kicked in $100 or less, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in politics.
That is 745 donors versus 3,630. One of Bolling's staffers said that Bolling raising more money shows Republicans believe he is the better candidate. The raw numbers of donors suggest otherwise, and donors who are contributing $100 or less are the people who will go to a convention. Appalachian Power, Consol Energy, and Altria might think Bolling is a better candidate for govenror, but the 1,352 new Virginia donors that sent small amounts of money to Cuccinelli would argue otherwise.
In this respect, I am glad we switched from a primary to a convention. This way the dollars of over 3,000 individuals mean more than the big, established business interests of Old Virginia and their money.
Its clear how this is breaking down: Old big business money (tobacco, banking, and utilities) versus the regular Republican voter looking to change the way the state does things. This nomination is the past versus the future. Bolling has raised a ton of money , but has not done so in a matter that proves he has the support of the majority of true grassroots Republicans. Ken has proven that.
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