27 Days Until the Election: Baker Raises Almost $34,000 in Latest Reporting

Wrapping up our section on campaign finance, at least for now, we’ll finish up with Baker’s contributors.

For the second reporting period in a row, Baker was his own biggest supporter, loaning his campaign exactly $7018.49.  He raised a total of  $33,895.13, including his loan.  His total loans to the campaign now total nearly $70,000. 

Baker has a total of 44 donors (including himself), with an average donation of about $770 each.  If you take out his loan, which is probably fair, the average shrinks to $625 per donor.  Baker raised a little less than half of what Smith raised for this reporting period, after outraising and outspending him for the first reporting period. 

One interesting contribution was $10 from a lawyer in Ohio. We’re not sure, but that contribution, while not approaching chuckle-worthiness of the donation to Smith from Harry Potter, still seems pretty hilarious. We don’t begrudge anyone giving, because it’s their money and everyone has a budget, but our mental image of lawyers is more along the lines of guys lighting cigars with $100 bills, not trying to influence elections with $10.  We guess we should repent for buying into the ugly stereotype.  But still, $10?  Is the cheapest lawyer in the world?  $10? Really? 

A few moments for comparison:  Baker has no anonymous campaign donations listed, while Smith has had almost $500.  These are perfectly legal (see yesterday's blog) according to Cherokee Nation Election Law, but we thought we should mention it.

Baker’s average donation this reporting period is $625.  Smith’s was a little more than $700.  Smith had 111 donors to Baker’s 43.

Baker and his family now have loaned/given approximately $90,000 to his election campaign.

Smith and his family have loaned/given $250 to his election campaign.

On the reporting date, they both had relatively equal cash on hand:  $17,206.89 for Baker and $21,989.45 for Smith.

With the election less than a month away, it will be interesting to see how the candidates spend their remaining cash, how much more they raise down the stretch run, and who they raise it from.  That’s all the Truth we can handle for today.  Check back tomorrow for more truth, and let us know if there is truth the Cherokee people need to know!  We’ll get it out there.